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STRATFOR's 2011 Annual Forecast
January 20, 2011
As you know, I'm an avid researcher when it comes to my own annual forecast, which you saw a couple of weeks ago. One of my favorite resources is STRATFOR, a global intelligence company founded by my friend George Friedman. Their focus is geopolitics, which means they cover political, economic and military developments all around the world. They have an annual forecast of their own, and George has been gracious enough to allow me to share it with you. As long-time OTB readers may know, STRATFOR's annual forecast can be very provocative.
Here are some examples of this year's themes:
- The U.S. is unlikely to withdraw from Iraq as promised in 2011.
- The U.S. economy will grow.
- In Europe, more countries will need bailouts. (A couple of names might surprise you.)
- Russian-German relations will strengthen.
- Japan will rot, but it will rot in seclusion.
Some of you may have seen STRATFOR's forecast if you took advantage of the deal I sent a couple weeks ago. For those that haven't, George's book, The Next Decade, comes out next week, so there's still time to <<buy it here for $16>>, and get a free three-month subscription to STRATFOR. For those of you already enjoying a subscription and wondering about your book: they start shipping next Tuesday. So finish up whatever you're reading now and get ready for a great read.
John Mauldin, Editor
Outside the Box
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Annual Forecast 2011
January 13, 2011 | 1217 GMT
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Middle East/South Asia
- The Global Economy
- Former Soviet Union
- East Asia
- Europe
- Latin America
- Sub-Saharan Africa
The year 2011 is one of preparation and postponement, as Washington, Beijing and Moscow — among several others — are already looking to elections and leadership changes in 2012. The uncertainty of next year affects the actions of this year.
If Washington does not carry out a meaningful withdrawal, then Iran retains the option of stirring up militias and unrest in Iraq, increasing conflict and the attendant U.S. casualties, all while the U.S. presidential election season begins ramping up. From the political perspective, this is not acceptable. From the geopolitical perspective, allowing Iran (or any other single power) to dominate the region is unacceptable. We think the latter will take precedence over the former, and the United States will seek to retain a strong presence in Iraq rather than withdraw from the region. However, the United States is not likely to carry out any major military action against Iran.
That leaves one path if the United States wants to get out of Iraq at some future point: an accommodation (even if quiet) with Iran to ensure both U.S. and Iranian interests. While it is not likely to be very public, we expect a significant increase in U.S.-Iranian discussions this year toward this end.
While Washington looks to extricate itself from Iraq without leaving power in the region unbalanced, farther east China is struggling with its own economic imbalances. STRATFOR has long been perceived as bearish on the Chinese economy. We are less bearish than realistic, and the reality is that the longer an economic miracle continues to be miraculous, the more likely it is to end its amazing run. We cannot help but notice the similarities between China and its East Asian economic predecessors: Japan, South Korea and the Southeast Asian "Tigers." The Chinese have shown great resilience, but the global economic crisis revealed the weaknesses of China's export-based model. While government investment now makes up the lion's share of the Chinese economy, Beijing is walking a very difficult path between rampant inflation and rapid economic slowing.
As China's leaders search for a solution and try to avoid the social consequences of a slip in either direction, they are also focused on the next major generational leadership transition, slated to begin in 2012. This discourages any radical or daring economic policies, and stability will remain the watchword as the politicians jockey for position. But given the status of the Chinese economy, and the continued effects internationally of the global slowdown, daring policies and ideas are perhaps what China needs. While Beijing is likely to procrastinate in making any radical economic policy changes, and thus avoid the likely short-term chaos that could entail, the longer the leaders delay fundamental action, the worse things may be when the system starts to unravel.
Meanwhile, Russia will continue to attempt to roll back U.S. influence in Eurasia and solidify its own. Russia has largely completed its retrenchment to the borders of the former Soviet Union, with the notable exception of the Baltic states and to a lesser extent the Caucasus, and Moscow is now secure enough to shift from its more assertive stance to one that appears more conciliatory. This new strategy will play to all its relationships around the world, but will be effective in moving Russia's influence farther beyond its former Soviet sphere and into Europe — where the United States has been dominant since the end of the Cold War. Russia's focus this year is to mold understandings with states like the Baltics, while entrenching its strong relationship with Germany. Moscow knows that its time to act freely is ticking down as Russia watches the United States wrap up some of its commitments in the Middle East, but Moscow will also be looking internally, as the political elite position themselves ahead of the 2012 elections.
Middle East/South Asia
The most important question in the Persian Gulf is the degree to which the United States will draw down its forces in the region. The answer to this question determines the region's geopolitical reality.
Other than the United States, the greatest military power in the Persian Gulf region is Iran. Whether or not Iran acquires nuclear weapons, it is the major conventional power. Should the United States remove all effective military force in Iraq and limit its forces in Kuwait, two things would happen. First, Iraq would fall under Iranian domination. Second, the states on the Arabian Peninsula would have to accommodate the new balance of power, making concessions to Iranian interests.
Should the United States not remove its forces from the region, Iran would have the option of launching guerrilla operations against U.S. forces, using its surrogates in Iraq. That would escalate casualties in Iraq at a time when the U.S. presidential campaign would be getting under way.
The core prediction STRATFOR needs to make for the region, therefore, is whether the United States will withdraw its forces. We do not believe a withdrawal is likely in 2011. While a new Iranian-sponsored insurgency is a possibility, a dramatic shift in the balance of power due to withdrawal would be a certainty. Pressure on the United States from Saudi Arabia and its allies in Iraq not to withdraw will be heavy, so the United States will keep enough forces in Iraq to block Iran. STRATFOR expects this will lead to greater instability in Iraq, but the United States will be prepared to pay that price.
The chance of surgical strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities is very low, inasmuch as the Iranian response would be to attempt to block the Strait of Hormuz. While it is possible for the U.S. Navy to keep the strait clear, it cannot control the market reaction to military activity there. The consequences of failure for the global economy would be enormous and too great a risk without a much broader war designed to destroy Iran's conventional forces (naval, air and land) from the air. This could be done, but it would take many months and also run huge risks.
In Turkey, 2011 is an election year, with parliamentary elections scheduled for June. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is unlikely to lose the election overall, but the vote will highlight the core secular-religious divide within Turkey. As it seeks to consolidate itself at home, the AKP in 2011 will work toward a more coherent foreign policy, trying to learn from past efforts that had unexpected results.
Egypt begins the year with the successors of ailing 82-year-old Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at odds over the pending transfer of power. The various factions — both in his National Democratic Party and the army — do not agree on who can best ensure regime stability and policy continuity once Mubarak is no longer in a position to lead. Another complication is that the presidential election is scheduled for September, and it is not clear whether Mubarak will run for a sixth five-year term. While the various elements that make up the state will be busy trying to reach a consensus on how best to navigate the succession issue, several political and militant forces active in Egypt will be trying to take advantage of the historic opportunity the transition presents. While the opponents of the regime — both those who seek change via constitutional means and those who prefer extra-constitutional methods — are not yet organized enough, the rifts within the government also create vulnerabilities for Egypt, where regime change will have profound implications for the region and beyond.
In Israel, concerns remain about Hezbollah, the most serious threat Israel faces. But Hezbollah is focused on matters in Lebanon, and Syria has its own interests at stake, so another major Israel-Hezbollah war in 2011 is unlikely. In Gaza, on Israel's southern flank, things are not quite as stable. Hamas has an interest in maintaining a short-term truce with Israel, but pressure from competing Islamist movements and Israel's ongoing efforts to prevent Hamas from strengthening will likely lead to clashes within the year, though not to the extent seen in 2008-2009.
In Afghanistan, the U.S.-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) saw some successes on the battlefield in 2010, and more can be expected in the year ahead. However, the ISAF has neither the troop strength nor the staying power to truly defeat the Taliban through military force alone. The success or failure of the counterinsurgency-focused strategy therefore rests not only on the military degradation of the Taliban, but also on the ability to compel the Taliban to negotiate some degree of political accommodation. Some movement toward a negotiated settlement this year is possible, and Pakistan will try to steer Washington toward talks (in the hopes that Islamabad will be able to influence the eventual outcome of those talks), but a comprehensive settlement in 2011 seems unlikely at this point.
The Global Economy
The United States will experience moderate to strong growth in 2011. Unlike in other major economies, consumer activity comprises the bulk of the U.S. system — some $10 trillion of the $14 trillion total. That $10 trillion is approximately half of the global consumer market. (The combined BRIC states — Brazil, Russia, India and China — account for less than one-third of that amount). As the U.S. consumer goes, so goes the world.
When measuring what the U.S. consumer is going to do, STRATFOR consults three sets of data: first-time unemployment claims (our preferred method for evaluating current employment trends), retail sales (the actual consumer's track record), and inventory builds (an indicator of whether or not wholesalers and retailers will be placing new orders, which in turn would require more hires). As 2011 begins, the first two figures look favorable to economic growth, while the last indicates employment may be slow to recover.
STRATFOR pays close attention to two other measures on the economy: The S&P 500 Index indicates investors' risk appetite, and total bank credit as made available by the U.S. Federal Reserve indicates how functional the financial system is. Because the 2008-2009 recession was financial in origin, STRATFOR pays particular attention to what investors and banks are doing and thinking. Both measures are strongly positive as 2011 begins.
But while the United States may be gearing up for a strong performance, the same is not true elsewhere in the world.
Europe faces a structural problem. The euro was designed for and by the Germans, who want a strong currency and high interest rates to keep inflation in check and to attract the capital required to maximize their high value-added system of first-rate education and infrastructure. The Southern Europeans, in contrast, have economies that do not add nearly as much value. They must remain price competitive to generate growth, and the only reliable means they have of doing that is to sport a weak currency. Put simply, people will pay more for a German car, but they will only pay so much for a Spanish apple.
Yet these economies (and others) are enmeshed into the eurozone. The financial crisis is depressing the euro, which would normally help the southern European states, but Germany's presence in the eurozone is acting as a sort of life preserver, limiting how far the common currency can sink. The result is a midground currency, prevented from falling to levels that would actually stimulate the south while holding at weaker levels that make the already competitive Germans hypercompetitive. The result will be growth bifurcation, with the Germans experiencing their fastest growth in a generation, and Southern Europe — the region that needs growth the most to emerge from the debt maelstrom — mired in recession.
Consequently, the financial crisis that started sweeping Europe in 2010 is far from over, and STRATFOR forecasts that more states will join Greece and Ireland in the bailout line in 2011. In one bit of good news for the Europeans, STRATFOR projects that the systems the Europeans built in 2010 to handle the financial crisis will prove sufficient to manage Portugal, Belgium, Spain and Austria, the four states facing the highest likelihood of bailouts, respectively.
In Asia the picture is more familiar. Japan has largely removed itself from the scene. Japan's population has aged to such a degree that consumption is expected to shrink every year from now on, while its national budget is now majority funded by deficit spending. Luckily for the rest of the world, Japan's debt is held almost entirely at home, and its economy is the least exposed to the international system of any advanced nation. Japan will rot, but it will rot in seclusion.
In China, nearly every government throughout its history has at some point been brought down by social unrest of some kind. Recently, Beijing was concerned that rolling back stimulus policies enacted in late 2008 would put economic growth at risk, and with it employment. STRATFOR has learned that, given these circumstances, Beijing has decided to keep that stimulus intact. This will solve the employment problem, but it comes at the certain price of higher inflation. China's challenge in 2011 will be to maintain sufficient services and subsidies to keep social forces in check at a time when the country's economic model will exacerbate inflationary problems.
Former Soviet Union
Russia's consolidation of influence in the former Soviet Union is nearly complete, and in 2011, Moscow will feel secure enough in its position to shift from a policy of confrontation with the West to one characterized, at least in part, by a more cooperative engagement. Russia will play a double game, ensuring it can reap benefits from having warm relations with countries — such as investment and economic ties — while keeping pressure on those same countries for political reasons.
The most complex relationship will be with the United States, as many outstanding issues remain between the two powers. However, Russia knows that the United States is still bogged down in the Middle East and South Asia, so there is no need for a unilaterally aggressive push on Washington.
The most productive relationship will be with Germany. Moscow and Berlin will strengthen their ties politically, economically and financially in the new year. But, as throughout history, their inherent mistrust for one another will motivate them to prepare to pressure each other if needed in the years beyond 2011.
Moscow's strategy shift will also affect how Russia interacts with its former Soviet states. In 2010, Russia consolidated its control over Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, while strengthening its influence over Armenia and Tajikistan. Russia knows that it broadly dominates the countries and can now move more freely in and out of them — and allow the states more leeway, though within Russia's constraints.
There are still three regions in which Russia has not solidified its influence and thus will be more assertive: Moldova, the independently minded Caucasus states of Georgia and Azerbaijan, and the Baltics. Of these, Russia is furthest along with Moldova, and changing relations with Georgia can largely be left for another day. Russia's strategy toward the Baltics is changing, and Moscow is attempting to work its way into each of the Baltic states on multiple levels — politically, economically, financially and socially. Russia knows that it will not be able to pull these countries away from their alliances in NATO or the European Union, but it wants to have some influence over their foreign policy. Russia will be more successful in this new strategy in the Baltic state of Latvia and to a lesser degree in Estonia, while Lithuania will be more challenging.
Domestically, Russia is preparing for parliamentary elections at the end of 2011 and the highly anticipated presidential election in 2012. Traditionally, in the lead-up to an election, the Kremlin leader — currently Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin — shakes things up by replacing key powerful figures in the country. This time, Putin has asserted that his power over the Kremlin is strong enough that he will not need such a reshuffling, but many in the country's elite will still scramble to secure their positions or attempt to gain better ones. Should President Dmitri Medvedev's supporters move to break from Putin's grip, it could trigger another clampdown on the country politically and socially, similar to the one seen in the mid-2000s. But whether Putin decides to run again as president or remain prime minister, his control over Russia remains secure.
In four of the Central Asian states, a series of unrelated trends will intensify in 2011, creating potential instability that could make the region vulnerable to one or more crises. In Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, succession crises are looming, and the political elite are struggling to hold or gain power. In both Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, ethnic, religious and regional tensions are turning violent. This has been exacerbated by the return of militants who have been fighting in Afghanistan for the past eight years. Both countries have called on Russia to stabilize their security situations. Moscow will use these requests to increase its presence in the region militarily, but will hold back from getting directly involved in the fighting.
In these four countries, Russia's handling of the situation is the important factor. In 2011, Moscow will ensure that all its pieces are in place — whether political influence or a military presence — in order to keep control (and dominance) over the region.
East Asia
The most important question for the Asia Pacific region is whether China's economy will slow down abruptly in 2011. Though growth may slow, STRATFOR does not anticipate it to collapse beneath the government's target level. This will require a tightrope walk between excessive inflation on one side and drastic slowing on the other. China's leaders want a smooth transition to the next generation of leaders in 2012, and do not want the economy to collapse on their watch. They will err on the side of higher inflation, which could exacerbate social troubles, but Beijing is betting this will remain manageable.
China's exports recovered in 2010 from the lows of 2009, but export growth is expected to slow in 2011. Wages, energy and utilities costs are rising; the government is letting the currency slowly appreciate; workers are demanding better conditions and more compensation while the demographic advantage and the amount of new migrant labor entering markets is slowing. All of these processes will continue in 2011 to the detriment of export sector stability. Already some manufacturers of cheap goods are operating at a loss. Reports of loss-making enterprises are not yet widespread, but they indicate the real strains from rising costs that will worsen in 2011. However, as long as the American recovery continues and there are no other big external shocks, the export sector will not collapse.
China's primary hope for maintaining targeted growth rates is investment. Since 2008, Beijing has relied on government spending packages and, most important, gargantuan helpings of bank loans to drive growth. The central government will continue these stimulus policies in 2011. Meanwhile, Beijing will allow banks to continue high levels of lending, and the banks appear just capable of surging credit for another year. Deposits are still growing and outnumber loans, several major banks raised capital in 2010, and Beijing has toughened regulatory requirements to increase capital adequacy, reserves and bad loan provisions. Nevertheless the credit boom cannot last much longer, and the sector is sitting on a volcano of new non-performing loans worth at least $900 billion. Without credible reform in lending practices, continued high levels of lending in China will increase systemic financial risks as companies take out new loans to roll over bad debt and invest in inefficient or speculative projects, while adding to inflation and compounding the sector's future burdens. Though a banking crisis may be averted in 2011, it cannot be averted for long.
With Beijing willing to use government investment and bank lending to avoid a deep slowdown, inflation will rise and cause economic and socio-political problems in 2011, generating outbursts of social discontent along the lines of previous inflationary periods, such as 2007-2008, or even, conceivably, 1989. Inflation is hitting all the essential commodities, and STRATFOR sources perceive unusually high levels of social frustration from Beijing to Hong Kong. The government will use social policies, price controls and subsidies to alleviate the problem, but will not be able to prevent major incidents of unrest. Security forces are capable of dealing with protests and riots, but such incidents will reveal the depth of the problems the country faces.
Internationally, China will continue playing a more assertive role. Beijing will accelerate its foreign resource acquisition and outward investment strategy. It will continue pursuing large infrastructure projects in border areas and in peripheral countries despite resulting tensions with India and Southeast Asian states. It will increase maritime patrols in its neighboring seas and maintain a hard-line position on territorial and sovereignty disputes, increasing the risk of clashes with Japan, Vietnam, South Korea and others. China's military modernization will continue to focus on areas like anti-access and area denial and cyber capabilities, and the lack of transparency will continue to feed foreign suspicions. China's trade disputes with other nations — especially the United States — will worsen, though Beijing will make token policy changes and increase imports to reduce political friction. The United States will make bigger threats of imposing concrete trade measures against China as the year progresses, taking at least symbolic action, perhaps toward the end of the year as the 2012 election campaign starts to warm up.
North Korea's behavior in 2010 appeared off the charts — Pyongyang was accused of sinking a South Korean navy ship and killed South Korean civilians during the shelling of a South Korean-controlled island south of the Northern Limit Line, a maritime border the North refuses to formally recognize. In the past two decades, North Korea has demonstrated a clear pattern of escalating tensions with the South, with its neighbors and with the United States as a precursor to negotiations for economic benefits. These tensions centered on nuclear and missile developments, but not on outright aggression against the South — until 2010. Pyongyang appears to have made several very calculated decisions: First, that nuclear tests and missile launches no longer created the sense of uncertainty and crisis necessary to force the United States and South Korea into negotiations and concessions; second, that it had China's cover; and third, that Seoul and Washington would not respond militarily to a more direct form of North Korean provocation. All indications suggest that Pyongyang bet correctly, and it is looking like 2011 will see a return to the more managed relations with North Korea seen a decade ago, barring a major domestic disagreement among the North Korean elite over Kim Jong Il's succession plans.
The United States will continue its slow re-engagement with the region, providing an opportunity for China's neighbors to hedge against it. Washington will support greater coordination among Japan, South Korea and Australia (as well as India) on regional security and economic development in Southeast Asia, increasing competition with China. The United States will build or rebuild ties with partners like Indonesia and Vietnam and become more active in multilateral groups, including the East Asia Summit and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will try to balance both China and the United States.
Europe continues to deal with the economic and political ramifications of its economic problems. At the center is Germany, the most significant European power in 2011. Berlin will continue to press the rest of Europe to accept its point of view on fiscal matters, using the ongoing economic crisis as an opportunity to tighten the eurozone's existing economic rules and to introduce new ones. Germany is pursuing three key initiatives: the development of a permanent bailout and sovereign debt restructuring mechanism (largely freeing Germany from having to bail out other eurozone members in the future); the acceptance of tougher monitoring, implementation and enforcement of eurozone fiscal rules; and continued adherence to German-designed austerity measures among eurozone members.
Berlin's assertiveness will continue to breed resentment within other eurozone states. Those states will feel the pinch of austerity measures, but the segments of the population being affected the most across the board are the youth, foreigners and the construction sector. These are segments that, despite growing violence on the streets of Europe, have been and will continue to be ignored. Barring an unprecedented outbreak of violence, the lack of acceptable political — and economic — alternatives to the European Union and the shadow of economic crisis will keep Europe's capitals from any fundamental break with Germany in 2011.
If anyone breaks the line on austerity, it will be the Irish and the Greeks. In Ireland, elections in the first quarter could bring anti-bailout or anti-austerity forces into power. Ireland has said "no" to Europe twice before on EU treaties, and it could be a wrench in Berlin's plans again. In Greece, Athens is dealing with historically high unemployment (unlike the Spanish and Irish, who have seen much worse as recently as 15 years ago) and another year of recession. Prime Minister George Papandreou is holding on to an ever-smaller majority in the parliament as his party's lawmakers jump ship. However, Greece and Ireland are both already under EU bailout mechanisms. Other states may see changes in government (Spain, Portugal and Italy being prime candidates), but leadership change will not mean policy change. Germany would only be truly challenged if one of the large states — France, Spain or Italy — broke with it on austerity and new rules, and there is no indication that such a development will happen in 2011.
Ultimately, Germany will find resistance in Europe. This will first manifest in the loss of legitimacy for European political elites, both center-left and center-right. The year 2011 will bring greater electoral success to nontraditional and nationalist parties in both local and national elections, as well as an increase in protests and street violence among the most disaffected segment of society, the youth. Elites in power will seek to counter this trend by drawing attention away from economic issues and to issues such as crime, security from terrorism and anti-immigrant rhetoric and policy.
The country where elites are in most trouble is in fact Germany. Berlin has not yet made the case to its own population for Germany's central role in Europe, and why Germany needs to bail out its neighbors when it has its own economic troubles. In large part this is because if Berlin were to make this case domestically, laying out the advantages Germany gains from the eurozone, it would further breed resentment abroad. With seven state elections in 2011 — four in a short period in February and March — the first evidence of nontraditional political forces' coming to the forefront could be in Germany. This could accelerate if Berlin is also called upon to rescue one of the other troubled economies within this intense electoral period in the first quarter.
Central Europe will have its own issues to deal with in 2011. With the United States preoccupied in the Middle East, Russia making a push into the Baltic states and consolidating its periphery, and Berlin and Moscow further entrenching their relationship, Central Europe will continue to see its current security arrangements — via NATO and Europe — as insufficient. STRATFOR expects the Central European states to look to alternatives in terms of security, whether with the Nordic countries, specifically Sweden, or the United Kingdom, or with each other via forums such as the Visegrad Group. But with Washington distracted and unprepared to re-engage in the region, the Central Europeans might not have a choice in making their own arrangements with Russia, which could mean concessions and a more accommodating attitude, at least for the next 12 months.
Latin America
Economic decay, runaway corruption and political uncertainty will define Venezuela in the year ahead. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will resort to more creative and forceful means to expand his executive authority and muzzle dissent, but managing threats to his hold on power will become more difficult and more complex, especially considering Venezuela's growing struggle to maintain steady oil production and the country's prolonged electricity crisis.
The Venezuelan government will thus become increasingly reliant on its allies — namely China, Cuba and, to a lesser extent, Iran and Russia — to stave off a collapse. However, Chavez is facing the developing challenge of a potential clash of interests among those allies. China, Cuba and Russia, for example, will attempt to place limits on Venezuela's relationship with Iran in the interest of managing their own affairs with the United States. Though doubts will rise over the sustainability of the Venezuelan government and economy, the Chavez government likely will not be toppled as long as oil prices allow Caracas to maintain a high rate of public spending.
Cuba, meanwhile, intends to lay off or reshuffle more than half a million state workers (10 percent of the island's work force) by March 2011 while attempting to build up a fledgling private sector to absorb the labor. There are signs that Fidel and Raul Castro have reached a political consensus over the reforms and are serious about easing the heavy burden on the state out of sheer economic desperation. However, this will be a year of immense struggle for Cuba, especially as many of the new privately owned or cooperative businesses are expected to fail due to their lack of resources and experience and because of a shortage of foreign capital.
Cuba will continue to send positive, albeit measured, political signals in an attempt to make investment in the island more politically palatable to foreigners, but no drastic political reforms are expected. Cuba is headed for a major political change, but STRATFOR does not see that happening in 2011. Such a change will take time to develop and will entail a great deal of pain inflicted on the Cuban economy. We suspect that those eyeing a change in the Cuban leadership would rather the Castros take the fall for the economic hardships to be endured during this slow process. Meanwhile, relations between Cuba and Venezuela are likely to become more strained. With Cuba exerting significant influence over Venezuela's security apparatus and Havana needing capital that Venezuela may not be able to provide in Cuba's time of need, the potential for quiet tension between the two remains.
The year 2011 will be one mostly of continuity for an emergent Brazil as the country devotes much of its attention to internal development. Specifically, Brazil's focus will be absorbed by problematic currency gains, developing its pre-salt oil fields and internal security. The real gained 108 percent during President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's time in office, hitting domestic industry. The country is also facing investment needs of around $220 billion over the next five years for the offshore pre-salt oil fields, on which the country's geopolitical ambitions have been hinged. Crackdowns on select favelas in Rio de Janeiro are likely to continue this year, but constraints on resources and time (with the 2014 World Cup approaching) will hamper this initiative.
In the foreign policy sphere, Brazil will keep a measured distance from the United States as a means of asserting its own authority in the region while gradually building up primarily economic influence in the South American states, particularly Paraguay. Brazil is still in the very early stages of achieving regional prominence and will feel more comfortable making mostly superficial moves on issues far removed from the South American continent than appearing to intrude in its neighbors' affairs.
In Mexico, the next year will be critical for the ruling National Action Party (PAN) and its prospects for the 2012 elections. Logic dictates that for the PAN to have a reasonable chance at staving off an Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) comeback, the level of cartel violence must come down to politically acceptable levels. Though serious attempts will be made, STRATFOR does not see Mexican President Felipe Calderon and the PAN making meaningful progress toward this end. If there is a measurable reduction in overall cartel violence, it will be the result of inter-cartel rivalries playing out between the two current dominant cartels — the Sinaloa Federation and Los Zetas — and their regional rivals, mostly independently from the Mexican government's operations.
Mexican authorities will devote considerable resources to the Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon regions, and these operations are more likely to escalate tensions between the Gulf cartel and Los Zetas than to reduce violence in these areas. Political stagnation will meanwhile become more severe as Mexico's election draws closer, with parties forming alliances and the PRI taking more interest in making the PAN look as ineffectual as possible on most issues.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa's year begins with important votes in Sudan and Nigeria.
A referendum on Southern Sudanese independence takes place in January. However, if the referendum passes, the south cannot declare independence until July. Thus, Southern Sudan will be in a period of legal limbo for the first half of the year. These months will be defined by extremely contentious negotiations between north and south, centered primarily on oil revenue sharing. Khartoum will grudgingly accept the results of the referendum, and both sides will criticize each other for improprieties during the voter registration period and polling.
The south knows it must placate Khartoum in the short term, and it will be forced to make concessions on its share of oil revenues during the negotiations. Juba will also seek to discuss other options for oil exports in the future during the year, with Uganda and Kenya playing a significant role in those talks. However, any new pipeline is at least a decade away. This will reinforce Khartoum and Juba's mutual dependency in 2011.
The northern and southern Sudanese governments will maintain a heightened military alert on the border, and small clashes are not unexpected. Minor provocations on either side could spark a larger conflict, and while neither side's leadership wants this to happen, Sudan will be an especially tense place all year.
Nigeria will hold national elections during the first half of the year, with a new government inaugurated about a month after elections are held. Candidates for the presidency and other political offices will be determined around mid-January, when party primaries are to be held. Within the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP), it is a race between President Goodluck Jonathan, who hails from the oil-rich Niger Delta in the south, and the man northern politicians are calling the consensus northerner candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, for the party's nomination. Both candidates are wooing PDP politicians throughout the country.
Extensive intra-party negotiations and backroom deals will occupy the Nigerian government during primary season, the election campaign and after the inauguration, all as a matter of managing power-sharing expectations that could lead to violence. But the cash disbursed and the patronage deployed as part of the campaign will keep most stakeholders subdued even if their preferred candidate does not win. This means the event will not turn into a national crisis, and the Niger Delta region is likely to remain relatively calm this year.
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) will see a few thousand new peacekeepers added in 2011, continuing its slow buildup (the contingent is currently 8,000 strong). Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) troops will receive incremental training to increase their capabilities.
This year will see attention focused on securing Mogadishu as well as increased political recognition of Somaliland and Puntland, two semi-autonomous regions in northern Somalia. But AMISOM and the TFG will still not be equipped or mandated to launch a definitive offensive against al Shabaab. Al Shabaab will not be defeated or even fully ejected from Mogadishu, let alone attacked meaningfully in its core area of operations in southern Somalia.
The TFG's mandate might not be renewed after it expires in August, if the government fails to achieve gains in socio-economic governance in Mogadishu amid an improved security environment. Even if there is no TFG in Mogadishu, though, there will still be a governmental presence of some sort to deliver technical and administrative services and to operate public infrastructure (such as the international airport and seaport).
South Africa will carry into 2011 a predominantly cooperative relationship with countries in the southern African region, notably Angola. Pretoria will use that cooperation to gain regional influence. Negotiations with Angola over energy and investment deals agreed to in principle during Angolan President Eduardo dos Santos' visit to South Africa at the end of 2010 will continue during the first half of 2011, with both governments sorting through the details of — and inserting controls over — this cooperation. Relations between the two governments will be superficially friendly, but privately guarded and dealt with largely through the presidents' personal envoys. Beyond the commercial and regional influence interests Pretoria holds in Angola, the South African government will push for infrastructure development initiatives with other southern and central African countries to emerge as the dominant power in the southern half of Africa.


text:
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Hoboman took the box inside and called Hobo Jr to his side. Together they opened the box and found a red container with a smile on the cover.
When they opened the red container they saw wonderful treasures waiting for them to select from.
After careful consideration Hobo Jr selected a Ghost, a boat, three silver rocks, a silver orc sword, a large back pack, and a red mask. Hoboman was in awe of the wonderful helms and armor his Orc warriors could use as well as the axes his Dwarves could use. He also selected a couple of Viking torsos and head to use to make a couple more Dwarves for his small dwarven force. Lastly Hoboman selected some interesting grey bricks to add to his future stronghold he wanted to build.
Now, Hoboman began to load replacement elements into the red container. He added six horses including thee saddles and three head armors, a small green dragon, a brown rock, four mini-catapults, a giant's mask, some heads from monsters, a blue boat and paddles, a mix of minifigures, some weapons from BrickTW and Brick Forge, some Lego weapons, and a roast turkey to feed the troops. (Note there are also 4 additionl "yellowed" horses on the right. If someone wants to try and whiten them or use them for some other customization project great.)
Hoboman also added three troll cloaks, nine Brick Forge Goblin Swords, and a Blacksmih attack (minus the minifigures).
The red container was almost full but Hoboman had to add a few non-castle figures to the collectable bag Mudpuppy had included in the red container.
Happy that the red container was now full again, Hoboman packed the box and prepared it for its next leg of its journey.
(The Box will leave my place on Wednesday evening)

subset: commoncrawl


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About 'Fresh Air'
Fresh Air with Terry Gross, the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues, is one of public radio's most popular programs. Each week, nearly 5 million people listen to the show's intimate conversations broadcast on more than 624 NPR stations across the country, as well as in Europe on the World Radio Network. In 2015, Fresh Air was the No. 1 most downloaded podcast on iTunes.
Though Fresh Air has been categorized as a "talk show," it hardly fits the mold. Its 1994 Peabody Award citation credits Fresh Air with "probing questions, revelatory interviews and unusual insights." And a variety of top publications count Gross among the country's leading interviewers. The show gives interviews as much time as needed, and complements them with comments from well-known critics and commentators.
Fresh Air is produced at WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and broadcast nationally by NPR.
Critics and Commentators
- David Bianculli, TV
- Justin Chang, Film
- Maureen Corrigan, Books
- Kevin Whitehead, Jazz
- Ken Tucker, Rock Music
- Milo Miles, World Music
- Geoff Nunberg, Language
- John Powers, Popular Culture
- Lloyd Schwartz, Classical Music
- Dave Davies, Guest Host
Fresh Air Staff
- Terry Gross, Host and Co-Executive Producer
- Danny Miller, Co-Executive Producer
- Roberta Shorrock, Director
- Audrey Bentham, Technical Director
- Amy Salit, Producer
- Phyllis Myers, Producer
- Sam Briger, Producer and Contributor
- Lauren Krenzel, Producer
- Heidi Saman, Producer
- Therese Madden, Producer
- Molly Seavy-Nesper, Associate Producer of Digital Media
- Mooj Zadie, Associate Producer
- Seth Kelley, Associate Producer
- Thea Chaloner, Associate Producer
Related Links
Online audio for today's show will be available at 3:00 p.m. ET.


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Titus 3:1-8 The Message (MSG)
He Put Our Lives Together
1-2Remind the people to respect the government and be law-abiding, always ready to lend a helping hand. No insults, no fights. God's people should be bighearted and courteous.
3-8It wasn't so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God's gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this.
9 I want you to put your foot down. Take a firm stand on these matters so that those who have put their trust in God will concentrate on the essentials that are good for everyone.
Have you thought about what is happening in your life lately? Do you sometimes feel, like I do, that you need a good bath? When we began our faith walk, repenting of our sins, and putting our trust and faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, the Lord gave us a good bath… He washed us clean by His Spirit. But in our daily living, we can often feel as Teresa of Ávila felt, "Oh, my God and Lord, how everything is ruined by the vain habits we fall into and the way everyone else follows them! Our faith is so dead that we desire what we see more than what faith tells us about–even though what we see is that people who pursue these things end up with nothing but misfortune!"
She wrote, "… the Lord has blessed us with wonderful capacities to help us along the way! Reason tells the soul how mistaken it is in thinking that these earthly pleasures are of the slightest value in comparison with what it is seeking. Faith instructs the soul in what it must do to find true satisfaction. Memory reminds it how all of those pleasures come to an end, and how all those who once engaged in those pleasures–who seemed to find such enjoyment in them!–are now dead and buried. .. The will inclines the soul to love God, the One in whom it has seen so many acts and signs of love. In particular, the will shows the soul how this True Lover never leaves it, but goes with it everywhere and gives it life and being. Then the understanding comes forward and makes the soul realize that, for however many years it may live, it can never hope to have a better friend." (Interior Castle)
Peter emphasized in 2 Peter, chapter 1, that everything that goes into a life that pleases God has been given to us, miraculously, by the Lord Jesus, as we get to know Him personally and intimately. The truth is that nothing that we can do by our own effort will please the Lord. He has given us faith, even though it may seem much smaller than a grain of mustard seed, and on that basic faith He wants to build and complement with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness and generous love. With these things growing and developing in our lives, we will become mature in Christ, we will get our "faith life" back! We will find joy, hope and God's grace on the wide-open way of living in the Kingdom of God, and walking into His eternal Kingdom one day.


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"It's back. It's back. It's back."
Like an endless loop, those words scream in my head, my gut, every single fucking cell in my body, screaming IT'S BACK.
"No. No, its not. Lightening doesn't strike twice in the same place."
This is an example of my internal dialogue after finding a lump again in the same breast that I'd had a lumpectomy in two years previously.
Every time I felt it, a sense of familiarity came over me. I knew in my gut what it was. But denial is a river, and I got swept up in that river until the middle of June. I went to my GP and got a referral for an ultrasound, which couldn't take place for a week. I went and saw my radiation oncologist for my 6 monthly check up. He examined me, and requested that he be sent a copy of the report when it was done.
A day after the ultrasound I received a phone call from my GP requesting I come in to discuss the results. The radiologist had requested further testing - core biopsy on the lump in my right breast, and a fine needle aspiration on a lump found in my left breast.
Apparently lightening can strike in the same place twice.
I wasn't able to get an appointment for these procedure for two weeks, as the radiologist had gone on holidays. The alternative was paying $500 up front to have it done at another centre. This wasn't an option. After feeding, housing, being a bloody ATM to the Narcissist, I didn't have a spare $500 to cough up, especially to confirm what I already knew to be true. So I waited.
And the loop continued.


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SPECIAL NOTICE TO ALL: Never take a medication without first consulting and getting permission from your MD.
Medicina Mexico knows that keeping your customers happy, secure and safe is more important than making money and will always result in repeat customers.
By checking your online account, you will see your current and prior orders including your Order Number and
any and all payments received.
Because our staff is so busy processing orders from all over the world 24/7, we were forced to make some tough decisions.
We are no longer taking phone calls, nor are we updating or adding shipping information into our web servers.
We do answer all emails within 5 hours and that will never stop.
All order are shipped within 48 hours of receipt of funds unless we are out of stock on a medicine and in those cases, we are now
informing our customers of orders by email. Please do not send an email asking if your order has shipped
or requesting a tracking number. as we are too busy packaging and shipping new orders. In short, we will
not answer you unless your order is late by 30 days.
If we took the time to look up this information for all our customers, then nothing would be shipped on time.
Please NOTE: Funds received without an order number are placed into our SUSPENSE ACCOUNT until we can determine the correct owner and order number. To avoid this, please always send an email to: email@example.com along with your order number and the fact that you made a payment.
The UNITED STATES and some other countries require a prescription on all medication sold from Mexico. They further require documentation in
English and an invoice of all medicines sold for customs. For these countries,
Medicina Mexico is now delivering your medicines to Dr. Isaac Reyes, MD (Ced. Federal 644884) (Ced. Estatal 1537-02/05)
along with the required documentation including documentation on each medication sold in English is from Wolters Kluwer.
Dr. Reyes upon receipt of your medication will issue a prescription and provide for shipping pursuant to your order.
If for any reason, Dr. Reyes fails to issue a prescription for a specific medication, then you will receive a refund or credit.
Medicina Mexico is required under Mexican law to retain the original prescription issued by Dr. Reyes.
Licensed pharmacies in Mexico are only allowed to sell medications, either brands or generics, from an approved pharmaceutical which has passed testing and has subsequently been authorized by the Mexican Government.
If you look on the left-hand side of any of our web pages at (About US) you will see our licenses, permits and our Regulatory Body.
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: Our email address is: firstname.lastname@example.com or email@example.com
Please consult your physician before taking any medication. Dosage form 1 g of cream contains 1 mg (0.1%) diflucortolone valerate, 10 mg (1.0%) isoconazole nitrate and 5 mg (0.5%) of neomycin sulfate. INDICATIONS All dermatosis responsive to topical corticosteroid therapy and are affected by bacterial and / or fungal. • Dermatitis secondarily infected by bacteria and / or fungi: nummular eczema, seborrheic eczema, dyshidrotic eczema, eczema if varicose syndrome (except direct employment leg ulcers), bactéride, eczemátide. • Bacterial infections with marked inflammatory symptoms: pyoderma (folliculitis, impetigo), erythrasma. • Dermatomycoses caused by dermatophytes, yeasts and fungi levulimorfos (tinea, candidiasis, pityriasis versicolor) when inflammatory manifestations or secondary eczematization occupy the foreground. CONTRAINDICATIONS Tuberculosis or syphilitic processes in the area being treated, viral diseases (eg., Chickenpox, herpes zoster), rosacea, perioral dermatitis and skin reactions following immunization in the treatment area. Hypersensitivity to the active substances or to any of the excipients. DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION As a rule, the treatment is begun by applying SCHERIDERM ® thin layer 2 or 3 times daily, depending on the severity of the case. Initiated clinical improvement, usually just one application a day. In the infectious dermatitis and / or fungal, inflammation disappeared once and if necessary can continue treatment with antimicrobial prepared without corticosteroid. In infants and children under 4 years of treatment should be maintained for more than three weeks, especially in areas covered by the diaper. PRESENTATIONS SCHERIDERM ® Tubes with 15 g.


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GM's Chevy Volt LA Auto Show marketing song and dance disaster we've reported on the past few days just became a much bigger deal. It's now the lead story on Fox News. We totally called this one.
Especially when GM's newly-appointed head of marketing, Susan Docherty, expressed that she'd not heard anything about the already much-ballyhooed "Volt Song" in a webchat yesterday morning. Oh GM, if only you'd nipped this thing in the bud when Volt PR saw posts (I'm assuming they did) on our site on the and other Volt-centric sites about the horrific "Chevy Volt song" you'd have stopped yet another "Airplane" disaster. (Hat tip to Jay!) [FoxNews]


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Mustang MonthlyEvents
Ford Mustang Macon Cherry Blossom Festival - Blossoms, Carneys, Dogs, And Ponies- Oh, My!
Macon Is A Great One-Day Show; You Should Be There!
As we write this, the time of year is early December, and we are experiencing the "cold" weather of central Florida. For us, that means overnight lows in the 50s and daytime highs in the 70s-brisk but not like what everyone else is experiencing. However, by the time you read this, we will all be well on our way to spring. Spring brings us yet again to a spate of shows and, in the month of March, the Macon Cherry Blossom Festival. The festival itself is great, with first-class carnival food, a dog show, and lest we forget, the Mustang show-hosted by the Mustang Club of Macon. Last year the show pulled in 210 Mustangs and assorted other Fords. And last year the Mustang show nearly overran the dog show. This year we hope the attendance will be the same.
This show is a perfect chance for the clubs in the Alabama/Georgia/South Carolina region to strut their stuff. Since it is a one-day event that is an easy drive from these three Mustang-heavy states, we expect to see some top-flight steeds in attendance.
One BIG Mustang!
The Route
Directions To The Starting Point:
Heading south on I-75, get off on exit 146 (Centerville/ Warner Robins). Head west on 247C, and go past the shops until you come to the intersection of John E. Sullivan Road. Turn left and go all the way to the stop sign. Take a right on Lake View Road, and go approximately 1.4 miles until you see Mustang Central on the right-hand side.
Directions For The Trail:
From Mustang Central, we will head out on Lake View Road-east to Houser's Mill Road. At Highway 96 we will turn left and head toward 247. When we get to 247, we'll turn left and head to the museum, which will be on the right. From there we will head out on 247 to I-75 south. We will stay on the super slab until we reach the exit for Unadilla. At Unadilla we will head right on S.R. 230 to Ogelthorp. At Ogelthorp we'll turn left onto S.R. 49. Andersonville historical site will be on the right. After our stay at Andersonville, we will head north again on S.R. 49-back through Ogelthorp, Montezuma, Marshallville, Fort Valley, and finally back to Mustang Central.
Questions About the Show?
Harris Yaughn, (478) 474-2718
Pony Trails
Jeff Ford, (863) 644-0449
The Trail
Sunday, March 18
9:30 a.m.
Starting Point:
Mustang Central, 975 Lake View Rd., Byron, Georgia
Ending Point:
Mustang Central, 975 Lake View Rd., Byron, Georgia
We'll start and end our trail at Mustang Central near Byron, Georgia. Our plan is to leave the facility around 9:30 a.m. Be sure to gas up before you arrive, because there are no stations close to the facility. After we leave, we'll jet over to the Robins Air Force Base Museum of Aviation for a visit. After we tour the facility, we will head south to the infamous Andersonville Prison. We will spend about 111/42 hours there, then head out again. Our way back will be via secondary roads through Montezuma, Marshallville, Fort Valley, and Powersville-ending at Mustang Central.
The Pony Trail 2001 and/or Mustang Monthly cannot be held responsible for any damage or injury that you might incur along the drive. Should you choose to follow us in our drive, you are solely responsible for what may occur to you or your car. We cannot know how many cars will attend and therefore cannot easily predict the times that we will reach our stops along the way. It is best-and the most fun-to join up at the start and run the trail from there.


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Tour de Cypress plans 10th event
- Details
- Category: Community
- Published on 01 April 2014
- Written by Mount Vernon Optic-Herald
The 10th annual Tour de Cypress Ride and Run in Mount Vernon has been set for Saturday, April 19. The event is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Mount Vernon.
A series of five bike routes ranging from 10 to 62 miles, and 5 and 10K runs will be centered around the downtown plaza. See the March 27 edition of the Mount Vernon Optic-Herald for details on how to register.


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Reality Check: Pepperoni and Bacon Pizzaburger from Boston Pizza
Reviews of fast food burgers and a look at how the real life version compares to the advertised beauty shot.
When I suggested to a friend that we go to Boston Pizza for dinner, he honestly thought I was joking. Because why would any rational person choose to go to Boston Pizza?
Why indeed.
I should explain: I was watching TV the other day, and I happened upon an ad for the Pizzaburger, which is basically a burger wrapped in a pizza. "That's ridiculous," I thought. "I should probably review that." And let me tell you, you should be sending some seriously good vibes my way; I ate this monstrosity so that you don't have to. You're welcome.
What's New On Serious Eats
The Pizzaburger comes in two varieties: pepperoni and bacon, or five cheese. I opted for pepperoni and bacon, because if you're going to get a Pizzaburger, you may as well go all out.
The burger essentially looks like an enormous pizza pocket. It has a pickle, a slice of tomato, and some lettuce pinned to the top, but that's all essentially garnish because how are you supposed to eat that stuff? Cut it in half and cram it into the opening? Leave it on top and eat it like an open-faced sandwich? I set it aside and dug in.
Have you ever had a terrible slice of pizza and thought, "Boy, I wish I could combine this with a mediocre hamburger!" If so, you're in luck! Boston Pizza has read your mind and created a product just for you.
But you have never thought that. Because you are a rational human being. This is not for you.
I'll start with the patty, because this is a hamburger review, after all. It's a particularly mediocre frozen burger, with that off-putting hot dog texture and salty, devoid-of-anything-resembling-beef flavor. I'm not sure how they cooked it, but when I slid it out of the bun to take a peek, it was gray and devoid of any grill marks or crust from a griddle.
The sauce was generically bad pizza sauce. I honestly don't even remember exactly what it tasted like, just that it was vaguely unpleasant and very much like dozens of other varieties of bad pizza sauce that I've had in my life.
The limp, soggy bacon was also fairly poor, and accomplished nothing other than to add saltiness to an already salty product. The pepperoni was standard pepperoni, and obviously only compounded the aforementioned saltiness issue.
There was also a bunch of mozzarella in there, which didn't really add or detract from the overall product. It's a Pizzaburger though, so I guess it was necessary?
The crust was fine. It was nothing spectacular, but it's probably the only element of this thing that I really don't have any complaints about. Chewy and slightly crispy around the edges, it was perfectly acceptable pizza crust.
The Pizzaburger also came with a side of fries. They were not good. Shocker, I know! They were probably the frozen fryiest frozen fries I have ever eaten, if that makes any sense. They were pale, bland, and without an ounce of personality.
Love hamburgers? Then you'll Like AHT on Facebook! And go follow us on Twitter while you're at it!
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Steel Construction Frames in Kings Bay FL
Services we Offer
It's obvious we provide structural columns and beams. We also design, fabricate, erect and install joists, supports, decks, embeds, louvers and more. As custom fabricators we make and install machine parts, steel curtain wall frames, and interesting shaped plates and supports. We service all types of large commercial projects, and work with new buildings as well as reinforcing existing ones. Go ahead and browse our extensive range of structural steel services .
Our Services
Steel Construction Frames in Kings Bay FL
The development of Steel Construction Frames in Kings Bay FL lent itself to the construction of the skyscraper. A "skeleton frame" of steel columns and l-beams are attached to a rectangular floor, roof, and wall support grid. The result is a dependable, long-lasting, and cost effective construction. Building the first skyscraper would likely not have been possible without this technique.
Why Choose Steel Construction Framing?
Consider steel construction framing for its array of benefits:
- Versatile: Steel is fantastically versatile. It can be molded into artistic shapes while also remaining safe and durable, thus offering commercial buildings a wide array of design opportunity.
- Strong and Light: Buildings made with Steel Construction Frames in Kings Bay FL can have an enormous carry weight while weighing less than a construction frame made of wood. On its own, the density of steel surpasses that of a wooden slab cut in the same dimensions, yet the design of a steel L-beam may weigh less than the lightest wood beam of similar design.
- Cost-effective and Efficient: As a result, these steel frames can be built quickly on-site and may be an affordable construction option because of reduced shipping material costs and a lesser need for overall labor.
Inspired by catastrophic storms like Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the city of New Orleans, steel construction framing can also withstand several types of natural disasters. Steel's flexibility encourages it to bend instead of crack under stress. Coupled with its resistance to salt corrosion, a frame comprised of steel may be ideal for areas like Miami, FL, which endures the threat of wind and water damage every hurricane season. Its level of ability to withstand such natural disasters may be unrivaled.
Combining strength and flexibility, steel construction frames are meant to last. They rarely fail without advance warning and require little maintenance, making this construction technique an optimal economic choice for building owners. In fact, fees can remain low even 50 years into the steel construction frame's lifespan.
Common Steel Building Materials
- Mild Steel is flexible when cold due to its low carbon rate and exhibits malleability not unlike iron, allowing for easy forming. High ductile and impact strength generates great protection to breakage. While higher carbon steels may break or split, mild steel's flexibility allows it to bend instead.
- Rebar is comprised of a mesh of steel wires, also known as a reinforcement steel, and is used as a tension device in structures using reinforced masonry and concrete. Though Rebar made of carbon steel is the most popular, it has also been made of stainless steel or composite bars.
- Structural Steel can come in various shapes, all of which contribute to the overall construction process. It is a carbon steel with up to 2.1 percent of carbon content by weight that gives it incredible strength, yet lower ductility. Structural steel is one of the most common types of steel and is integral when producing Steel Construction Frames in Kings Bay FL.
Where Are Steel Construction Frames in Kings Bay FL Used?
Strong, reliable, and cost-effective, steel construction frames can be found virtually anywhere. High rises are a great option for steel's strength and speed of construction; warehouses and industrial buildings favor its budget-friendly ability to construct large spaces; while temporary structures ideally use steel, as it is quick to set up on-site.
Now that you know Steel Construction Frames in Kings Bay FL may be the best choice for your commercial building, it's time to find a company with the experience and professionalism needed to make your vision come true. Look to Steel Beams Columns, your local steel construction company. We are experts when it comes to flooding and hurricanes. In areas like Miami, FL, you want to be as prepared as possible when hurricane season strikes. So, reach out today. Our expert metal fabrication services are only a call away.
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Straight, pitched, curved and rolled, at SBC, we're mad about beams! From plate girders to web openings we design and install the correct beam for your structure.
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When Broward Waste Water needed a 12" gas pipe replaced for their Digester, they came straight to SBC. And although it was one of our smaller jobs, we took the same...
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Avoid delays in your project by asking us to erect your steel structure too. They say too many cooks spoil the broth, and by dealing with different designers, fabricators, and erecting...
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Without question, Curtain Wall Systems are one of the most popular window solutions in Florida. And it is SBC who fabricates and installs the solid steel frames for these magjestic...
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From the second story up, if you need additional space, storage, or a grand level for display we're ready to design, fabricate and install your next landing, mezzanine, commercial...
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In this hurricane and flood prone state, we take the utmost care and attention detail in the design and construction of your roof, or metal canopy. Whether you have pitched...
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Nalco Water offers a number of innovative raw material solutions for the catalyst formulator. Our raw materials have numerous benefits and can effectively meet your needs in the following applications:
Colloidal Silica Binders for Spraydried and Extruded Catalysts
We also understand the technical requirements for catalyst formulators, and we encourage strong research-to-research collaboration with our customers.
Silica Based Zeolite Nutrients
Nalco's expertise in designing novel nanoparticles provides the formulator with new options to improve manufacturing efficiency and final catalyst performance, including the following benefits:
Additionally, emerging nanoparticle solutions with Nanozeolite applications are currently being offered by Nalco Water, where high surface area and activity can be further leveraged.
If you are interested in further information about any of these innovative nanoparticle applications, please contact the Nalco Water Colloidal Technologies Group directly at firstname.lastname@example.com.
With unparalleled expertise and cutting-edge technology, we partner with customers to deliver world-class results and optimized operations. Contact us to learn how we can help you.
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For additional information or assistance, please contact our Colloidal Technologies Group.
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Let us all gather round and check out a few new posters:
- The Smurfs 2 – Smurfs director Raja Gosnell returns to direct the sequel, featuring the voices of Sofia Vergara, Jonathan Winters, Alan Cumming, Fred Armisen, George Lopez, Anton Yelchin and John Oliver.
- Rise of the Guardians – Mythical figures Jack Frost (Chris Pine), Santa Claus (Alec Baldwin), the Easter bunny (Hugh Jackman), the tooth fairy (Isla Fisher), and the sandman team up to fight the boogieman Pitch (Jude Law).
- Argo – Ben Affleck directed and stars in the political thriller about the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Kerry Bishé, and Kyle Chandler co-star.
Hit the jump for the posters.
The Smurfs 2
The Smurfs 2 poster via Moviefone. The Smurfs sequel is scheduled for release on July 13, 2013, with The Smurfs 3 already in the works.
Rise of the Guardians
Rise of the Guardians opens in 3D on November 21.
RISE OF THE GUARDIANS is an epic and magical adventure that tells the story of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, and Jack Frost – legendary characters with previously unknown extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children everywhere.
Argo character posters via Cinema Blend. Argo opens October 12.
Official synopsis:
Based on true events, "Argo" chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis—the truth of which was unknown by the public for decades. On November 4, 1979, as the Iranian revolution reaches its boiling point, militants storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. But, in the midst of the chaos, six Americans manage to slip away and find refuge in the home of the Canadian ambassador. Knowing it is only a matter of time before the six are found out and likely killed, a CIA "exfiltration" specialist named Tony Mendez (Affleck) comes up with a risky plan to get them safely out of the country. A plan so incredible, it could only happen in the movies.


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DENVER (AP) — An attorney for New York reporter Jana Winter has asked her state's highest court to reject a Colorado subpoena seeking to identify her sources for a story about theater shooting suspect James Holmes.
Winter's attorney filed an appeal notice Wednesday with the New York Court of Appeals.
Winter, of Fox News, reported that Holmes sent violent drawings to a psychiatrist. Her story cited unidentified law-enforcement officials.
Holmes' attorneys said Winter's sources violated a gag order. They also said officials who denied being Winter's source might have lied, undermining their credibility as witnesses.
Colorado needs New York's approval to enforce the subpoena. Two lower New York courts have ruled the subpoena valid.
Holmes pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to charges of killing 12 and injuring 70 in July 2012.
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