text:
RLJ Lodging Trust Announces Completion Of $85.0 Million Refinancing
RLJ Lodging Trust (the "Company") (NYSE: RLJ) today announced that it has completed its $85.0 million refinancing with PNC Bank, National Association.
"Our deal was well received and we were pleased by the strong interest from the lending community," commented Leslie D. Hale, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and Senior Vice President. "Our balance sheet remains solid. We are well positioned to pursue our growth objectives through the liquidity and flexibility currently available under our capital structure."
The base term is four years with a one-year extension option. The loan is interest only during the base term and bears a floating rate of LIBOR plus 235 basis points. The Company expects that the new financing terms will have a minimal impact on interest expense.
The Company has no further maturing debt obligations in 2012. The Company's next maturing debt obligation, assuming all extensions are exercised, will be in 2015.About Us RLJ Lodging Trust is a self-advised, publicly traded real estate investment trust focused on acquiring premium-branded, focused-service and compact full-service hotels. The Company's portfolio consists of 141 hotels in 20 states and the District of Columbia, with more than 20,600 rooms. Additional information may be found on the Company's website at http://rljlodgingtrust.com. Forward Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," or "potential" or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases which are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and which do not relate solely to historical matters. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Company's control, that may cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward-looking statement, including statements related to, among other things, the timing, price or amount of purchases, if any, under the Company's common stock repurchase program, the Company's target leverage ratio, potential acquisitions or dispositions, the completion of the 2012 capital improvement plan, RevPAR growth, EBITDA growth, Hotel EBITDA margins or cash G&A expenses. All forward-looking statements reflect the Company's good faith beliefs, assumptions and expectations, but they are not guarantees of future performance. Furthermore, the Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, of new information, data or methods, future events or other changes. For a further discussion of these and other factors that could cause the Company's future results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements, see the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition" in the Company's Annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, and other risks described in documents subsequently filed by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For additional information or to receive press releases via email, please visit our website: http://rljlodgingtrust.com
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|IAUA End Time Ministry
|Preparing for the End of Time
|Reviving the Three Angels' Message
|Spreading the Third Elijah Message
|Declaring the Fourth Angel's Message
Preparing for the End of Time Series
· Download/Read the PDF/MOBI
· Read the Books Online
· Printed Books Online Stores
· Book Contents
Additional Materials
· About the Ministry
· Contact Information
· Notes for the Reader
· Copyright Notice
"IAUA End Time Ministry" presents this website and the book
"God's Sacred Calendar"
as part of the preparation of God's people for the End of Time and
to spread new Bible light on God's last message to the world.
This website is primarily an online version of the book
with additional online material for reference and study purposes.
The focus of the ministry, this website, and the book is on 21st Century Present Truth, Bible
study, prophecy, and eschatology (the end of the world)
for the serious student of the Bible.
Any year now He will return to take us home with Him. We don't know which year, but it won't be very long. We see shocking and unprecedented things happening around us every day. The final judgment of the church and the world is coming soon. The end of the world is preceded by a final message from the Bible.
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth... He will show you things to come.
A critical part of the final message requires a deep understanding of God's Sacred Calendar. This book investigates the importance, the prophetic purpose, the organization, and how to determine the dates of God's Sacred Calendar.
This book is the third book in the series "Preparing for the End of Time". The material in this book is an expansion of a chapter in the introductory book of the series titled, "The Sacred Calendar".
All books are available to read for FREE! The books are available to read online and downloadable to read offline. The books are also available to read in printed form for minimal cost. See details below.
I have been applying the scientific method to Bible Study with surprising results. I am using the actual words and meanings of the Bible as the literal guide for my life. I am questioning mystical denominational traditions and rejecting those teachings which contradict the Bible or add cumbersome rules and ideas not supported by the Bible. This series of books is like a set of Bible study guides.
I propose an extension of the original Protestant principle "Sola Scriptura". The original principle was not completely followed. The proposed extension of the principle is "Omnis scriptura et sola scriptura". All scripture and scripture alone. This extension emphasizes that no part of Scripture can be dismissed or ignored. The original Protestants dismissed and ignored the Fourth Commandment teaching of the seventh-day weekly observance retaining the Catholic first-day (Sunday) observance. But, most seventh-day observing Protestants still dismiss and ignore the Law of Moses teaching of the seven yearly holy day observances retaining the Catholic Easter, Christmas, and other holiday observances.
God loves us and wants us to be prepared for the end of time. He has revealed what will happen in the end of time. Those who respond to God's love will be passionate to study His word to learn what He wants us to know and will follow His guidance for our lives.
My purpose is to share my studies of the Bible with seekers of truth. The material in this book is the result of a personal online ministry project begun in 2004, which grew as a result of my studies and with input from online readers like you. I hope this book and this website will encourage and promote your own study and research of the Bible and God's Sacred Calendar.
Preparing for the End of Time Series
"IAUA End Time Ministry" presents a series of books "Preparing for the End of Time". This is also the title of the first book in the series of books. These books are about topics of 21st Century Present Truth. This topic is the primary focus of this ministry.
The first book and website of the series, "Preparing for the End of Time" is an introductory book, which is a broad overview of the topics of "Present Truth". Each additional book takes a deeper look at individual topics.
The second book in this series, "God's Sacred Calendar 2008-2013", is a wall calendar, which contains pages for month at a glance, year at a glance, and a brief introduction to calendar determination. This book/calendar, illustrates the topics presented in the introductory book and especially the chapter 'The Sacred Calendar'. This book will not be updated with later calendars. Please refer to the Sacred Calendar Reference webpage for additional yearly calendars you can print on your own printer.
The third book and website in the series is, "God's Sacred Calendar". This book expands on the topics presented in the introductory book and especially the chapter 'The Sacred Calendar'. This book describes the true calendar specified by God with holy days, not holidays, which are also specified by God.
The fourth book and website in the series is, "Sacred Name IAUA". This book expands on the topics presented in the introductory book and especially the chapter 'The Sacred Holy Name of God'. The Lord is a title not a name. God has a name, which has been hidden and denied.
The fifth book and website in the series is, "Third Elijah Message". This book expands on the topics presented in the introductory book and especially the chapter 'The Third Elijah Message'. There is a hidden prophecy in the Bible, which specifies a message to the last days church.
The sixth book and website in the series is, "Four Angels' Message". This book expands on the topics presented in the introductory book and especially the chapter 'The Fourth Angel's Message '. There is a final message to the whole world before the end comes.
The seventh book and website in the series is, "The Word of IAUA". This book expands on the topics presented in the introductory book about the Hebrew of the Bible in the chapter 'The Sacred Holy Name of God' and the book "Sacred Name IAUA". The book contains a unique Bible translation and Biblical Hebrew transliteration of the Bible. This book and website are under ongoing development.
There is some overlap in the content of the books in the series. This is necessary so that each book is complete by itself while maintaining the focus on a specific topic. This color-coded graphic shows where and how much they overlap. The white and pastel central content indicates the introductory book "Preparing for the End of Time". The white color indicates content which is unique to the introductory book. The pastel colors indicate content which is shared with the other books. The content of the wall calendar "God's Sacred Calendar 2008-2013" overlaps some with the book "God's Sacred Calendar". The content of the book "Sacred Name IAUA" overlaps some with the book "The Word of IAUA". The content of the book "Third Elijah Message" overlaps some with the book "Four Angels' Message".
Download/Read the PDF/MOBIPDF files (including color covers) of each book in the series can be viewed or downloaded for off-line reading. The content of the free PDF download is the first public release of the latest revised material. Shortly after release the PDF will become the current published revision of the printed book. The PDF is almost identical to the PDF used by the printer to make the book. (The printer requires the color cover to be in a separate file.) I am also providing the MOBI file created for the Kindle.
Download and read the books offline, for FREE!
Read the Books Online
The web pages on these sites are the chapters of the online version of the books. The original development of the subject matter began with the online website. When the topic was fully developed, the printed book was created. These websites are formatted primarily like a book, therefore it is suggested for a first reading to follow the chapters in order as you would read a book.
Please note, the revision process continues with mostly minor changes. The PDF on the website is updated first and is the most current publicly available source. Books ordered from the printer are updated shortly after the PDF to contain the latest revisions. The revisions in the PDF and books will eventually be seen in HTML form on the websites. I do what I can to make changes in parallel with the PDF and the HTML.
You may wonder why the books are regularly revised. The primary reason is because I am a part-time author with a full-time job to support my family. I make these books available online for free and in paperback at printing cost. I receive no donations for my ministry. I have no money to spend for publishers, editors, proofreaders, graphic artists, and layout designers. I perform all these functions myself, limited by my time and ability.
While the books and their ideas have been complete and unchanged for years, I am continually working to improve the sentence structure, spelling, grammar, accuracy, and understandability of my presentation. I am blessed by God with the technical skills and the resources of the Internet, which allow me to publish, distribute, and revise the books at minimal cost. I pray you will be blessed by my efforts.
Websites to read the books online, for FREE!
Printed Books Online Stores
Printed paperback copies of published books from "IAUA End Time Ministry" may be ordered directly from on-demand printers, at printing cost. These book are provided for evangelistic purposes, therefore I do not charge or receive any royalties. On-demand printing costs for a single copy of a book are about $3 - $5 depending on the printer and the size of the book. It will cost more for mailing than the cost of the book printing.
CreateSpace is the cheapest printing source. Currently they are usually pennies over $3 plus shipping and handling. Unfortunately, CreateSpace makes the books temporarily unavailable to order online when I am submitting revised content. If they are currently unavailable, they will be available again in a few days.
These books are also available for sale, at a slightly higher printing cost, from LULU.
These books are also available from the Kindle Store. A free MOBI download for the Kindle is also available above.
The printed books are no longer readily available through Amazon.com because it added a dollar to the cost. It is my desire to make these books available as cheaply as possible.
You may wonder about the differences between the two printers. The CreateSpace printing is currently about $1.50 cheaper. There is also a slight color difference in the cover. The most recent LULU books I have ordered have a stunningly beautiful dark Royal Blue cover. The CreateSpace cover is a slightly paler cyan shade of royal blue. It is difficult to get precise colors with low cost on-demand printing and they can change at any time. The covers are printed from the exact same file but each printer provides different results at different times. Color shades are also very subjective. Males have a tendency to be slightly color blind so what can I say.
God's Sacred Calendar
Book Contents
Read the book online, for FREE!
Additional Materials
About the Ministry
Contact Information
Please contact me by email with any comments about the website! I am also eager to discuss any questions you may have about what the Bible says.
email@example.com: Frank T. Clark
Notes for the Reader
This website is designed to be read as easily as a book with maximum concern for your reading comfort. Text size, color, and font are not changed so it is directly under your control through your browser settings. Content is designed to display at a width of about 6", which is about the same as a typical book.
I recommend the Verdana font at 12 point for your web browser. I have found that it is the easiest to read. This is what I use but you may prefer something else. I also use 12 point in the printed books I publish because it is easier to read.
Enjoy reading!
Copyright NoticeI grant blanket permission to use anything I write or develop for any purpose. Everything I write or do is released to the public domain. I do not copyright or sell anything and I never intend to begin doing so.
Next: Book Cover
Revised 2014-12-19

subset: commoncrawl


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Who's Who
President, Board of Trustees
H. Richard Duval
H. Richard Duval was appointed Board President in January 2012.
A native Cincinnatian, Dick attended Xavier University and the Art Academy and served as a U.S. Army medic. More recently a partner in the development firm of Bloomfield, Schon + Partners, he has been a successful urban real estate developer for over fifty years.
Dick's career began with the Mount Adams revival of the early 1960s. Since then, he's gone on to renovate and reuse a series of great buildings: the former Edwards Manufacturing Company downtown, Nicola's Car Barn in Over-the-Rhine, and First Step Home and the Ford Factory in Walnut Hills (both CPA Rehabilitation Award winners). He's also run restaurants and bars in historic buildings, including Chapter XIII in Mount Adams, the 20 Mile House in Loveland and Sky Galley at Lunken Airport. Bloomfield, Schon completed the monumental renovation of American Can Lofts in Northside, featured in the Winter 2012 newsletter.
Prior to becoming President, Dick served two years on CPA's Board of Directors. His civic involvement includes many other arts and social service organizations, ranging from Summerfair to the Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation.
Dick and his wife, Kit, have two children and two grandchildren. Believing that preservation begins at home, they live in a century-old Tudor Revival residence in East Walnut Hills.
Paul Muller Executive Director
Paul Muller, AIA, an award-winning architect and preservation practitioner, is Cincinnati Preservation Association's Executive Director.
Paul, principal of Muller Architects, Inc., stepped in as interim executive director and later accepted our top position on a permanent basis and immediately began directing efforts on key initiatives.
Paul has been an invaluable resource to CPA and professionally involved in the field of historic preservation for more than 20 years. He is a past president of our company's board of trustees. He personally championed saving the Walnut Hills Presbyterian Church Tower, a 10-story tower that stands as a tribute to the anti-slavery movement in Cincinnati. Paul managed efforts to renovate the Rauh House in Woodlawn, a recent gift to CPA and the transformation of Pinecroft, the Powel Crosley, Jr., estate into a conference and event center.
At Muller Associates, Paul's projects have ranged from creating historic façade guidelines for cities to innovative adaptive reuse projects. He received an Honor Award from the Cincinnati Chapter of the American Institute of Architects for a study commissioned by the City of Newport. He has also been honored with a Paul Philippe Cret Medal for Design Achievement by the University of Pennsylvania and with an Individual Achievement in Historic Preservation Award from CPA.
Paul is a great steward of our region's built assets. Feel free to give him a call personally to let him know your own concern on a preservation matter.
Margo Warminski Preservation Director
As CPA's Preservation Director, Margo Warminski coordinates the technical preservation-related tasks at CPA. Her areas of responsibility include research, advocacy, providing design-review opinions, assisting with easements, educating the public about preservation through monthly programs and assisting with agency events and publicity.
Margo has worked in the historic preservation field in the Cincinnati area for over twenty years and has been part of CPA's preservation leadership for eleven years. Prior to joining CPA, she worked as a historic preservation consultant specializing in historical research, architectural surveys, and nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. Her special interest is urban vernacular architecture: buildings that tell the stories of ordinary people. From 2000 to 2004 she worked with us as a part-time consultant. In addition to preparing Register nominations and preservation tax credit applications, her many tasks included researching and writing the program for our annual May house tour.
Margo holds a B.A. in English language and literature from the University of Michigan and studied Community Planning, with a concentration in historic preservation, at the University of Cincinnati. Not only is she an accomplished preservationist, but she is also an excellent writer! When she isn't busy at work, she is restoring a 1907 workingman's cottage in the East Row Historic District of Newport, Kentucky, of which she is the second owner.
Rebecca Stone Business Manager
Rebecca attended University of Cincinnati, where she majored in Real Estate and earned a Business Administration degree.
As business manager, Rebecca manages CPA's $6,000,000 worth of properties and keeps the office functioning; accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, office management. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Working with trustees on the management and execution of parties and events is one of her favorite duties.
Rebecca has a passion for preservation and lives in a 1928 neo-Tudor in Norwood that she says is in a perpetual state of restoration.
Officers, Board of Trustees
H. Richard Duval, Historic Building Redeveloper
Vice Presidents
Mary Piper, Community Volunteer
Margaret Valentine, Business Professional
Tony Woodward, Realtor
Jennifer Martin, Certified Public Accountant
Julia Carney, Attorney
Casey Coston, Community Activist & Writer
Mary Croft, Community Activist
Josh Heuser, Business Developer
Robert Horine, County Administrator
Eric E. Landen, Attorney
Jenni McCauley, Realtor
Maureen McDermott, Real Estate Developer & Artist
Greg Olson, Real Estate Developer
John Mellott, Certified Public Accountant
Abigail T. Tuke, Marketing Professional
Arthur Sturbaum, Soil & FoundationEngineer
David Zelman, Architect
Advisory Board
Ann Antenen
Ronald T. Bates
John A. Bentley
J. Leland Brewster, II
Christopher A. Cain
Edward Dohrmann
Bruce Goetzman
Margaret E. Hammelrath
Cornelius W. Hauck
Anthony W. Hobson
Thomas Huenefeld
Ken Jones
Peter E. Koenig
Walter E. Langsam
Stewart S. Maxwell
Alfred A. Moore
H. C. Buck Niehoff
Fred Mitchell
Patrick Snadon
James Tarbell
Margaret H. Wyant


text:
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Full biography
Steve Mills joined IBM in 1973 after graduating New York's Union College.
He has held various executive leadership positions in IBM since 1989. He has played a leading role in the growth of IBM Software Group since its inception in 1995.
In 2000, he assumed the role of Senior Vice President and Group Executive, Software Group.
In 2010, he was named to his current position adding hardware and systems to his responsibilities.
In this capacity, he is responsible for directing approximately 110,000 employees spanning development, manufacturing, sales, marketing and support professions.
IBM's product business contributes $40B of IBM's revenue.
IBM's industry-leading products provide critical business integration infrastructure that powers more than 100,000 enterprises around the world.
February 2012


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Plan of salvation
From FairMormon
Plan of salvation
This page is a summary or index. More detailed information on this topic is available on the sub-pages below.
Some Christians claim that the LDS doctrine of a "premortal existence" is pagan, unchristian, or unbiblical, and therefore false. (Click here for full article)
- When are children capable of sin?—
Brief Summary: The Bible is claimed to contradict the Book of Mormon teaching that children cannot sin under eight years of age. The Bible is claimed to place sin at the point of conception. Critic Walter Martin writes, "Anyone who thinks that children under age eight cannot sin has not visited the classrooms of today's schools." (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗
- Original sin—
Brief Summary: Why don't Latter-day Saints believe the doctrine of "original sin" like the rest of Christianity? Do Mormons believe that the Fall of Adam was a "fortunate event?" Is the Church wrong to teach that little children are free from the taint of original sin? (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗
- Birth control—
Brief Summary: What is the stance of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on birth control? The General Handbook of Instructions states: "Husbands must be considerate of their wives, who have a great responsibility not only for bearing children but also for caring for them through childhood…. Married couples should seek inspiration from the Lord in meeting their marital challenges and rearing their children according to the teachings of the gospel." (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗
- Do we need a church in order to gain salvation?—
Brief Summary: Can we achieve salvation on our own without being a member of a church? (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗
- Deification of man—
Brief Summary: It is claimed that the doctrine of human deification is unbiblical, false, and arrogant. Related claims include: 1) that Latter-day Saints believe they will 'supplant God', 2) that belief in theosis, or human deification, implies more than one "god," which means Latter-day Saints are "polytheists," and 3) that the Mormon concept of "human deification" is a pagan belief derived from Greek philosophy. (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗
- Angels—
Brief Summary: Some Christians reject the Mormon concept that angels were once mortal, claiming that angels are a special creation of God and that humans can never become angels. They quote Psalm 148:2 and 5: "Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts...Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created." (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗
- Flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven—
Brief Summary: Some Christians attempt to use 1 Cor. 15:50 to demonstrate that a resurrected being with a physical body cannot enter into heaven, therefore excluding a God with a body as well as resurrected mortals, however, the early Christians interpreted this scripture to mean something very different than modern traditional Christians do. (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗
- Salvation of non-members—
Brief Summary: Since the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims to be "the only true Church," does this mean that the LDS believe that everyone else will be damned? And, since the Church teaches that the dead will have the opportunity to hear the gospel preached to them, doesn't this imply that the witness given to those "after death" will be so compelling that virtually everyone will become "a Mormon"? (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗
What do Latter-day Saints believe regarding the "Three Degrees of Glory?" (Click here for full article)
- Concept of Hell—
Brief Summary: Some manage to mangle the Christian view of Hell as badly as they do with the correct, authentic and original Christian view of Heaven. They don't start off well, confusing both the New Testament concepts of Hell in the sense of "hades" or "sheol" (spirit prison) and "gehenna" (everlasting burning)-terms with completely different meanings-and using the terms interchangeably, blissfully ignorant of the distinctions LDS (and the Bible, and most other Christians) make between the two. While it is probably true that, as they say, "...many [Latter-day Saints] find the [Biblicist] view of hell (eternal punishment with no second chances) to be both unfair and offensive," what offends us even more is that such an oversimplification is not Christian doctrine. Oddly enough, they are not even representing normative Protestant doctrine when they fail to make a difference between hades/sheol and gehenna. (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗
- History of the belief in a three-part heaven—
Brief Summary: A look at what Jews and early Christians really believed. (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗
- Meaning of "telestial"—
Brief Summary: What does the word "telestial" mean, as used in Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon's vision (see DC 76:) of the post-mortal worlds? (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗
- Not biblical—
Brief Summary: It is claimed that the doctrine of three heavens has no basis in the Bible. However, the Bible makes clear that all mankind will be "judged. . . according to their works." (Rev. 20:12) And if so, won't everyone's rewards be different one from another? Jesus insisted that in His "Father's house are many mansions" (John 14:2), and Paul wrote that in the judgment a person's works might be added to his reward or burned up, but either way he might still be saved. (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗
- Progression between kingdoms—
Brief Summary: Is there progression between the three degrees of glory? There is no official pronouncement on this question. Some leaders of the Church have, however, expressed deep skepticism about this idea. (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗
- Emanuel Swedenborg—
Brief Summary: It is claimed that Joseph Smith derived the idea of "three degrees of glory" in the afterlife from Emanuel Swedenborg's book, Heaven and its Wonders and Hell From Things Heard and Seen (1758). Critics also claim that Joseph Smith's practice of plural marriage was similar to Swedenborg's philosophy of "spiritual wifery." (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗
FairMormon is sometimes asked various questions about the "Sons of Perdition." This set of articles addresses specific questions. (Click here for full article)
- Can women be "Sons of Perdition"—
Brief Summary: re there women who would be among those cast into outer darkness? Are there female 'Sons of Perdition'? FAIR is not aware of any official Church position on this issue. There is some evidence against the idea. The idea that women cannot become "sons of perdition" likely comes from DC 84:40-41: "Therefore, all those who receive the priesthood, receive this oath and covenant of my Father, which he cannot break, neither can it be moved. But whoso breaketh this covenant after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come." (Click here for full article)
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- Eventual fate—
Brief Summary: Today in our Sunday School class an individual expressed the belief that the sons of perdition would be given another chance to achieve celestial glory. Could you direct me to any specific reference on this topic? (Click here for full article)
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- Will sons of perdition be resurrected—
Brief Summary: Will sons of perdition be resurrected? There are multiple citations from Church leaders indicating that sons of perdition born into mortality will be resurrected, since "there is a time appointed that all shall come forth from the dead" (Alma 40:4). (Click here for full article)
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- Foreknowledge of God—
Brief Summary: In Sunday School today somebody said that Jesus Christ knew from the pre-existence who would return to Heavenly Father's presence. Some class members disagreed with that opinion and we couldn't reach a final answer, and we were unable to find a scripture to confirm that comment. The person said that "Jesus knows everything, from the beginning to the end, and therefore he knows who will be returning to God's presence." Could you help me with this issue? (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗
- Latter-day concept of grace versus works—
Brief Summary: How do Latter-day Saints see the relationship between works and grace? (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗
- Free will in Mormonism—
Brief Summary: Science demonstrates that all interactions of matter--including all events in the human brain--are sufficiently caused by previous events. If we know enough about the laws that govern these interactions and the current state of the universe, we would be able to exactly predict any future event. Does this mean that the doctrine of "agency" or "free will" is false, since all human choices are predetermined by the laws of physics? (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗


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Call for Essays About Any Aspect of Popular Culture, Present or Past
Now entering its fourth season, Monk finds itself in a precarious position.
If the energy and originality of the storylines catch up with Monk and Sharon's dynamic, the series can only improve.
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<3 <3
Interesting. I've always been a fan of Villa, I'll keep an eye out for him.
I just moved 100+ threads from the 'Other' forum to the North America and MLS forums. Let me know if any have been misplaced.
Sorry man, I was gone the whole week. I will get to work on that later tonight, I'll let you know if I need help with anything.
I'll let the guys know, thanks.
Hey man, just moving a couple of your threads around. We've 'simplified' the soccer forum so it's easier to navigate. Let me know if you have any suggestions.
What is the US' next game? How are they doing?
Nice man. I like Celtic too.
What teams do you support, agoo? I don't even know.
The Green Monster
JBB SmurfY
RIP mgb
Halló Veröld!
DYC Legend +Young Prodigy
works every time.


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Calendar of Events
Published: Monday October 31, 2011
New York/New Jersey
November 1, 6:30 PM, New York City. The Middle East and Middle Eastern American Center (MEMEAC) at the Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY), and the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) will present "Traces: A Museum Without Artifacts-Design, Projection, and the Armenian Genocide." The featured speakers will be Prof. Martin Bechthold and Allen Sayegh of Harvard University's Graduate School of Design (GSD), and architect Nishan Kazazian will provide additional comments. The event will take place in room C201, the Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, at 34th Street, New York, NY 10016-4309. "Traces" challenged students to implement their design strategies in proposals for a museum environment dedicated to the Armenian Genocide in Yerevan.
November 10, 7:30 PM, Paramus, N.J. Barnes & Nobles hosts Peter Balakian as he reads and signs his book of poetry Ziggurat at 765 Route 17 South, Paramus, NJ 07652. Call 201-445-4589 for info.
November 11 and 13, New York City. Moon and Stars Project of The American Turkish Society to co-hosts with Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies and the Department of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at New York University Music Workshop featuring Karde? Türküler and Grammy® Award Winner Arto Tunçboyac?yan on Nov. 11 from 4 to 6 PM at the Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies, 255 Sullivan Street (at Washington Square South); free admission. Space is limited, pre-registration is required. The same artists joined by musician Ara Dinkjian will appear in a concert on Nov. 13 at 7 PM hosted by Merkin Concert Hall at The Kaufman Center, 129 West 67th Street, New York, NY 10023 between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. Ticket Price: $45 - Inner Circle (Seating Near Stage); $35 - General Entry; $25 - Senior Citizen, Students (with valid ID). Advance, reserved seat tickets available online or call 212-583-7617. Proceeds benefit victims of the recent earthquake in Van.
November 13, 2 PM, Bayside, N.Y. The ARS Mayr Chapter of New York hosts a Holiday Luncheon featuring a cultural program and live music at Sevan Armenian Restaurant, 216-06 Horace Harding Expressway, Bayside, NY. Donation: $40. Limited Seating. For reservations, please call Anais at 718-392-6982 or Anahid at 718-263-9325
November 18-20, Ridgefield, N.J. Annual Bazaar and Food Festival will take place at Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey. Live entertainment Friday and Saturday. Children's activities, vendors, homemade Manti, Kufte, Sou Buereg, Choreg and more. Traditional Kavourma dinner on Sunday. Extensive mezze and dessert menu for your Thanksgiving table available for take-out.
November 23, New York City. The AGBU Young Professionals of Greater New York (AGBU YPGNY), Armenian Network-Greater New York region, New York Armenian Students' Association (NY ASA) and Armenian Youth Federation-Youth Organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (AYF-YOARF) New York Hyortik and New Jersey Arsen Chapters proudly announce the 7th annual collaboration of efforts to plan and organize an unforgettable Thanksgiving Eve in Manhattan. The annual affair should entice Armenian partygoers 21 and over to mix, mingle and move to an array of Armenian and American dance music at one of New York's hot spots. In addition, a majority of the proceeds from the event will benefit the following four Armenian causes: Holy Martyrs Armenian Day School (http://www.hmads.org/); Hovnanian School (http://www.hovnanianschool.org/); St. Illuminator's Armenian Day School (stilluminatorschool.org); and Friends of Warm Hearth (http://www.friendsofwarmhearth.org/). More details regarding the event will be provided in the weeks to come.
December 1, 5:30 PM, New York City. New York Academy of Medicine located at 1216 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street, New York, NY 10029 hosts a talk by Dr. Ani Kalayjian on Forgiveness & Reconciliation: Psychological Pathways to Conflict Transformation and Peace Building. For more information, contact the Fellows Office at 212-419-3608.
December 1, 8 PM, Woodside, N.Y. Hamazkayin of NY presents: Charents: In Search of My Armenian Poet -- A Feature-Length Film by Shareen Anderson, winner of the Audience Choice Award at the 2010 Pomegranate Film Festival in Toronto, Canada. Screening at the Armenian Center, 69-23 47th Avenue, Woodside, NY. Free admission, but donations are welcome. For more information, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com.
December 3-4, Watervliet, N.Y. Holiday Bazaar organized by the St. Peter Women's Guild of Watervliet, NY (near Albany). This two-day event will be packed with delicious Armenian food, pantry and bakery items to stock your freezer, vendors, holiday crafts, entertainment, children's activities, raffles, and more. Saturday's lahmajoun lunch - $8; Saturday's dolma dinner - $15; and Sunday's madzoonov kufte soup lunch - $12. Or purchase a $30 meal package for the whole weekend. For detailed information and times of operation, please contact the church office at 518-274-3673.
December 15 6:30 PM, New York City. The Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) holds its annual holiday gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. For information email firstname.lastname@example.com or visit http://www.coafkids.org/.


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A day at the United Nations
April 18, 2014
Last Wednesday, I woke up at 5:20 a.m., destined for the United Nations headquarters in New York City. Giddy with fatigue and excitement, a group of us from Knowlton House met in the foyer and jaunted over to our bus, complementing one another on our business-casual attire on the way.
I sat with my friend Leela. Both French fanatics, we chatted in French as we ate a breakfast of bagels, muffins and croissants. A snooze and a few traffic jams later, we arrived at the United Nations.
We first entered the building for the United States mission to the U.N. There, we met with Alexis Wichowski, a Connecticut College alumna from the Class of 1993. She transitioned from a Chinese major in college to a graduate program in information technology to a job at the U.N. related to IT diplomacy. She also works as a professor at Columbia University. In addition to describing her career path, she quizzed us on the U.N. How many member states compose the U.N.? 193! When was the U.N. founded? 1945! She insisted we understand the U.N. as a collection of entities that include its six deliberative councils and non-governmental organizations among others.
Isaac, an intern at the U.S. mission to the U.N., left us with a final note: "Don't start at the bottom, start at the top."
Some people took Isaac's advice when attacking the buffet at the Delegates Dining Hall, starting with dessert and ending with lunch. No matter our dining approach, we ate more like kings and queens than like delegates.
Fortunately, a grand tour of the U.N. helped us work off the decadence. A Swedish tour guide led our group, which pleased Julia, a Swedish Conn student studying human rights and the media. Our guide showed us the rooms where the General Assembly and other branches of the U.N. convene. In fact, we witnessed the Economic and Social Council in action!
We also had time to engage in conversation with delegates while visiting the Iranian Mission to the U.N. After an informational video and some Iranian snacks, we showered the Iranian delegates with questions: How does Iran portray women in the media? What is Iran's stance regarding the war in Syria? What would Iran prioritize in a security council meeting? Do women participate as actively in society as men? In response to our questions, one of the delegates urged us again and again to visit Iran and to discover the answers to our questions first-hand and individually.
After collecting food-for-thought at the Iranian mission, we headed out for a delicious French meal and met up with some NYC-based Conn alums.
After a day like Wednesday, Conn's commitment to an international education certainly takes on a magic meaning for me.
Slavery Ends Today
April 15, 2014
Slavery Ends Today, a student organization at Conn, is protesting to end human trafficking. The organization has partnered with the International Justice Mission for a 27-hour-long standing protest. Conn student Olivia Dufour '16 is one of the 27 million participants.
Keep calm and rock on
April 14, 2014
It's always lovely watching your hard work become something enjoyed not only by you, but also by others, too. After weeks of planning and meetings, the concert I helped plan came to life, and it was amazing. The late-night student performances were part of the festivities for the Inauguration of our new president, Katherine Bergeron.
With the Inauguration weekend in full swing, a student band, Canopy, opened our 11 p.m. show in Cro's Nest, a performance space in our student center.. The late night show followed "An Evening of Voice and Community," a public concert and celebration for our president that I was also involved in planning. Canopy played a full hour of songs, but when they played "Magic" by Coldplay, I couldn't believe my ears. (It was that good.) The second student band, Montreal Protocol, went on stage around midnight and once the band got going, the audience's jumping signaled they wouldn't be stopping anytime soon. It was around this time when President Bergeron dropped by the concert, only hours before the big ceremony that would follow on Saturday morning.
Both Canopy and Montreal Protocol put everything they had into this event, and they thanked me for choosing them to play. I thanked them for sharing their insane talent with all the students who came out on a Friday night. These are the moments I cherish the most at Conn.
Everyone has talent, but sometimes it takes a little time to figure out what those talents are. For me, it turns out the talent is pulling off a successful concert and making sure everything goes as planned.
Going back to my roots
April 11, 2014
Since I was a kid, I have loved writing. Originally, I wanted to write fiction and would come up all these different characters and settings. (Plots were not my strong suit.) I had all these notebooks filled with lists of characters, their ages, likes, and dislikes, which, I guess, explains why I was so excited when my English professor approved my idea for my final class project. In fact, I found myself with a sense of giddiness that college student's rarely have before attempting an 11-page paper.
Our final English paper involves comparing The Canterbury Tales, which we are reading in Middle English, to modern versions of the stories. I was struck, however, with an idea in class about setting Canterbury Tales as a movie about college kids on spring break who get into a storytelling contest. My paper would outline the pilgrims in the Canterbury Tales as modern college student stereotypes and then explain how they relate to their Middle Ages counterparts. It might well turn out to be a paper in which I get to do exactly what I love: develop characters, decide what they look like and choose their interests. It's wonderful that even when your academic interests change (as I've become more interested in science writing in recent years,) there are times when college classes afford you the opportunity to just do what you love, what inspires you.
April 10, 2014
In the middle of November, the first semester of my first year at Conn, TEDxConnecticutCollege reached out to students who had expressed interest in getting involved with the organization. TEDxConnecticutCollege has become an inspiring example of student involvement on campus. A few meetings in, I found myself loving the team and the process.
I am honored to be on the organization's executive board. Gearing up for our April 12th conference has been a wonderful learning experience; my education at Conn would not be the same without it. Fundraising into the greater New London area has shown me the importance of community outreach and collaboration, while my time doing marketing projects have brought me vital skills in communication. This learning experience can be said of many clubs on campus, and I'm glad Conn has made such a valiant effort to acknowledge how important extra curriculars are in a the 21st century liberal arts education.
This Saturday, I'll be backstage with an assortment of students, professors, and speakers who have traveled from near and far. From astrophysics to deep sea exploration and the discovery of the Titanic, the TEDx theme, "not all who wander are lost" attempts to encompass "adventure, exploration, discovery, and everything along the way."
TEDxConnecticutCollege will stream their conference live on Saturday, April 12 beginning at 10 a.m. on their website.
All about that Cro Pass life
April 10, 2014
I try very hard not to take night classes.
Not that there aren't good classes being held at night, but as a track athlete whose practice regularly goes to 6 or 6:30, the added stress of having to get to class afterward is one I try to avoid for my mental health. However, when I joined the Goodwin-Niering Center for the Environment, I was signed up for a seminar that takes place 7-8:30 pm.
Now, you might wonder how I can leave practice, change, eat, get my books and get to class in under a half hour, but luckily, the College has a nifty system for athletes whose practices end after dining hall hours, or for those athletes who also have night classes. We call it the "Cro Pass."
With the Cro Pass, you get certain items from Oasis, our snack shop, for free. (Cro Passes are only redeemable on the day you were given it, and has to be signed your coach.) Because of my night course schedule isn't typical for athletes, it's pretty infrequent that others from my team are eating in Oasis. I try not to eat alone, and I certainly don't want to be seen eating a whole pizza, solo, on a Tuesday night. So, I decided to use my Cro Pass as a way to befriend my classmates in the Goodwin-Niering Center.
One of my classmates, Maia, is also involved in tons of activities, including dance, so she occasionally hasn't had the chance to grab dinner before class. She has become my regular Cro date for post-Goodwin Niering seminars dinners, and through this, also a very close friend.
Just this week, she texted me saying "Are you living that Cro Pass life today??" After all, aren't all good friendships are based on food?
Time for Reflexion
April 10, 2014
Pictured here is a performance by Reflexion, the spoken word group on campus. Apart from putting on shows every semester, Reflexion runs writing workshops on weekends. It's a great opportunity for students who are interested in poetry and spoken word to get their creative juices flowing and work with a great group of writers, mentors and peers.
Being a tourist in NYC (and a pillow fight in Washington Square Park)
April 9, 2014
This past weekend, Student Activities Council organized a free trip to New York City. At 8 a.m., sleepy Camels made their way to Cro to take a bus to the city. It was a day filled with lots of walking, lots of food and like any good visit, an unexpected pillow fight in Washington Square Park.
I went on this trip with three friends. One is from New York, as am I, and the other two are from Boston. We wanted to give our Boston friends a general idea of what the Big Apple is like, so we tried to go to all the tourist spots, including Times Square and Soho. When you live near the city, you often forget how amazing it is, especially for someone who has never have visited.
Of course, the city is full of surprises and we stumbled into a massive pillow fight in Washington Square Park. It looked like everyone in the city had come outdoors to join in.
Trips like this are not uncommon for Camels. The Student Activities Council and the art history department often offer free or cheap busses to New York, Providence and Boston. It was a nice change of pace to be able to experience a dose of city life with my fellow New London Camels.
Welcome, President Bergeron!
April 8, 2014
In preparation for the Inauguration of President Bergeron, we were asked to create a video to help welcome our new president, on behalf of the student body. We interviewed some of our friends who are involved in a wide variety of activities to find out how what sort of messages they would send. The was one of the most exciting days of the year so far, and our aim was to capture the students' feelings leading up to the event.
-Matteo Mobilio '16 and Dana Sorkin '16
Turning 21
April 7, 2014
Birthdays at college are fun, but it's not often you get to celebrate a milestone like turning 21. The day started out like any other Wednesday: breakfast with my roommate, three classes, track practice. Following a long day, I had a birthday dinner with my friends in Harris Dining Hall, complete with birthday cards and gifts. We chatted and laughed for over an hour. When I came back to my room, I found a gift and a beautiful and thoughtful card from my roommate on the desk.
After I did a couple hours of homework, I joined my friend Melody at the Cro Bar, our on-campus pub. Entering the Cro Bar for the first time, I proudly ordered a glass of wine and then settled into a booth with Melody. Little did I know, Wednesday nights are trivia nights. In between our conversation, Melody and I guessed the answers to such questions as: "Which Beatle was barefoot on the cover of Abbey Road?" (Paul McCartney) and "What are the three longest rivers in the world?" (The Nile, the Amazon and the Yangtze.) Luckily for us, we were joined by two other trivia-skilled friends and we had fun guessing answers and singing along to such throwbacks as Kelly Clarkson's "Break Away." Since I had a 7:30 a.m. track workout in the morning, I did not stay too late. I had a terrific birthday all the same, and I can't wait for the next trivia night now!
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Click on the links opposite for full details of centres and clubs for young people in Portsmouth.
Click here for Portsmouth Go For It Centres
For things to do in our youth centres across Portsmouth through the week check out our regular clubs and activities listed in the menu on the left. For other special events and activities across Portsmouth visit What's On.
If you are interested in having your say about services for young people in Portsmouth, check out the Portsmouth Youth Parliament or local Youth forums.
For youth projects, centres and services outside of Portsmouth visit:
Page updated: Friday 17th June 2011


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DONG FENG means "East Wind" in Chinese and is a Maoist slogan. The DF-15 is a short range, mobile, tactical missile, normallly deployed on a eight wheeled mobile launcher/erector. The launcher is a specially adapted version of a German made commercial truck and offers good cross-country capability.
The DF-15 warhead separates after main engine burnout and uses onboard thrusters to correct its course to target. Recent reports show that DF-15 units may be equipped with ROCKWELL GPS navigation systems and a follow on version will have active SAR radar targeting.
DF-15 warheads shot at Taiwan during the February 1996 PLA exercises also displayed MARV or MAneuverable Re-entry Vehicle tactics by changing course and speed in an effort to avoid defensive missiles.
China - Other Factors.
Military Leadership. The PLA does not approach leadership in the same way as Western military forces, placing greater emphasis on technical skills than on leadership development. The PLA's leadership culture is also risk averse, favoring the status quo over change. Historical experiences and decades of Communist propaganda have made the majority of Chinese military leaders suspicious of the outside world and its attitudes toward China's increasing power and influence. Relatively few senior officers have travelled abroad, although the military has undertaken a significant military diplomatic effort since the early 1990s that is overcoming this deficiency. The result of this physical and intellectual isolation has been the development of a strongly nationalistic outlook among the officer corps that could color negatively the leadership's approach to international developments seen impacting China's sovereignty or security.
China's military leadership is united on its desire to acquire or improve selected military capabilities in the near term. In the longer term, military leaders want to overhaul significantly the entire armed forces to create a smaller, technically more advanced instrument to fight in the immediate vicinity of China's borders. There also is a corresponding emphasis on military professionalism in China. While the political commissar system still exists and political officers share joint command with their operational brethren, the military now emphasizes operational training over political indoctrination. This trend will create a less politicized officer corps, especially among junior and mid-grade officers. It also will move the military leadership toward forming a more corporate military identity.
Senior Chinese officers are studying modern technological advances and how these can best be incorporated into the current and projected military doctrine and structure. These officers are still generally more familiar and comfortable with an operational level of conflict that relies primarily on ground forces to achieve objectives. Below the most senior level, an increasing number of officers in command positions are conversant in, and somewhat experienced with, modern technological and operational concepts like joint operations. Nevertheless, the military has recently renewed its emphasis on upgrading scientific and technical education in order to overcome perceived deficiencies in the officer corps in this respect.
Training. In recent years, China has shown a growing willingness to experiment with new aspects of training. Training has become more realistic and challenging, with an increased participation by opposition force units and greater emphasis on combined arms. Although intraservice training at the tactical level is improving, joint exercises are still tightly controlled and indicative of the difficulty the PLA likely would have in executing operational-level battle plans. While this past year's summer floods disrupted training for a large percentage of the PLA, certain exercises were not cancelled, particularly those emphasizing Beijing's commitment to improve joint training.
Professional Military Education. Professional military education for both officers and NCOs in the PLA is a high priority for Beijing. Institutional structures designed to instill a high degree of professionalism throughout the force were conspicuously absent in China until 1978, when the PLA began to address educational shortfalls. Since that time, Beijing has established a number of educational institutions throughout the military, although the emphasis remains on the officer corps.
The key organization shaping the professional development of the senior PLA officer corps is the National Defense University (NDU). It instructs senior officers in areas such as strategic studies, operational art, organizational command and management, combined arms and joint service operations, foreign military studies, and logistics. The NDU also provides information and advice on military modernization and broad strategic issues to national-level organizations; it also performs research on various strategic and operational military issues. The second tier in the PLA's officer education system consists of military colleges and academies which prepare field grade officers for regimental-level command and address the fundamentals of joint and combined arms operations. The curriculum concentrates on company, battalion, and regimental tactics. In addition, the schools teach basic joint operations. A small number of schools also trains students in specialty staff duties, such as engineering and communications. The lowest tier of officer education is provided by military colleges and academies for junior officers and mid-rank officers; they provide multiple avenues for undergraduate and general military education. The curriculum consists of three and four year undergraduate programs and a two year vocational program. The majority of the cadets are upper middle school graduates.
The PLA's NCO Corps is in its infancy, having been established only in the late 1980s. Chinese NCOs--former conscripts who are allowed to remain on active duty following their initial enlistment --are classified as either "master sergeants" or "technical sergeants." Newly selected NCOs attend a six month training program at the MR academies. Training is limited to tactics for the master sergeants and technical subjects for the technical sergeants. Beijing has not yet established formal education programs for NCOs beyond their initial training.
Joint/Integrated Operations. The PLA conducts interservice exercises at the tactical level, but the services are not fully integrated into a cohesive combat force. Disparate elements train simultaneously and in proximity, but do not appear to be controlled at the operational level by a joint commander and staff. Ground and air components exercise together with regularity and are improving their interoperability. Integration of ground and naval forces, however, is rarely exercised, particularly at the operational level, where synchronization and command and control are of greatest importance in the conduct of complex operations. The navy is beginning to conduct more combined operations between ships and naval aircraft. The PLA also is looking into the possibility of instituting a "joint command" structure at the operational or theater level, similar to that of the U.S. military. Accordingly, a commander would exercise operational control over all military forces assigned to and deployed in a particular area. These "joint commands" likely would be given specifically assigned missions in response to particular threats or security requirements.
Morale. Morale within the PLA, particularly among enlisted personnel, is assessed as generally low. Problems of desertion, declining relations between officers and troops, reluctance to train with obsolete equipment, high consumption spending by officers, anti-corruption audits which restrict outside earnings, and food shortages have been reported in the Chinese press. Low pay in comparison to other segments of Chinese society is a key factor. The PLA's involvement in business--at least until just recently when it was directed to divest itself of its commercial interests--also distracted many of its more competent officers from their military duties. Some Chinese military leaders believe that many of the morale problems can be solved by increased pay and allowances, further professionalization of the force, and improved quality of life.
Logistics and Sustainability. The PLA's logistics structure and doctrine still reflect, for the most part, the decades-long focus on fighting a large-scale ground conflict, wherein a MR commander would conduct autonomous combat operations over an extended period. The logistics infrastructure developed to support such regional operations is highly decentralized, based on interior lines of communication, and optimized to depend on local depots and stockpiles for resupply. MR commanders apparently were given broad leeway to develop region-specific logistics management procedures. These practices have inhibited the implementation of PLA-wide standards, since the separate management systems made interregional operations virtually impossible. In recent years, the PLA has devoted attention to improving its logistics support to military operations in a Taiwan scenario--operations which would include a higher tempo of operations and use of high technology weapons and equipment. It reportedly has automated many inventory control processes, streamlined procurement, and improved mechanisms for getting supplies to deployed troops. While these developments appear to offer a modest capability to support some types of military operations in the region, the PLA has made only incremental improvements in its ability to support a large-scale, long-term, high optempo engagement.
Taiwan - Other Factors
Military Leadership. Overall, Taiwan's military leadership is competent and capable. Taiwan officers of all services and ranks exhibit a relatively high degree of professionalism. They generally are well educated, operationally proficient, and technically sophisticated--especially when contrasted with their PLA counterparts--and pro-U.S. in their outlook. Balanced against these attributes, the officer corps functions within a culture that values caution over innovation and initiative. Junior officers are familiar with technological improvements but recent modernization efforts will challenge their management skills and may require adjustments to unit training and operational tempos. The Taiwan military will face an ongoing challenge in retaining qualified junior officers as employment opportunities in the civilian sector remain enticing. The increased importance of technology in modern warfare has led to an increased emphasis in Taiwan on modernizing the technology-intensive services, namely the Air Force and Navy. While Army officers continue to dominate the senior leadership positions within the defense hierarchy--the Army comprises more than 50 percent of the armed forces-- the emphasis on the Air Force and Navy may lead to a corresponding rise in the influence of air and naval officers over matters such as defense procurement priorities and employment doctrine. Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui strongly supports the promotion of native Taiwanese officers to senior military positions. Currently, the Chief of General Staff and commanders of the air force and marines are ethnic Taiwanese. This trend will continue and probably will have a positive effect on the morale and cohesion of the lower ranks of the armed forces, who themselves are overwhelmingly native Taiwanese.
Training. Taiwan's large-scale training normally takes place quarterly with the major training centers hosting limited maneuver and live-fire exercises. HAN KUANG 14, conducted in mid-May 1998, was one of Taipei's more typical joint exercises to date. Primarily a C4I exercise, the training was of very short duration and the scenario allowed for only limited exercise play. Taipei scheduled another "joint exercise" on 12 October 1998, but then cancelled it as a "goodwill gesture" toward Beijing in the run-up to the resumption of high level cross-Strait talks on 14 October. A dress rehearsal on 7 October also was cancelled, although a "preliminary dress rehearsal" was held on 2 October. It consisted of a series of live-fire demonstrations showcasing some of Taiwan's most modern military equipment.
Professional Military Education. Professional military education of Taiwan's officer corps is conducted along two developmental lines: the universal track for regular career officers and the professional track for officers in specialized fields like political affairs, medicine, and engineering. The universal track is the general military education for officers provided at the three service academies. Graduates receive a bachelor's degree after completing 130 university-level credit hours. The Naval Academy concentrates on science and engineering, while the Air Force Academy curriculum focuses on aerospace-related courses and includes supervised flight training beginning in the second year. Newly commissioned Army officers go on to branch schools, i.e., infantry, army, and artillery. Education in the professional track is conducted at such specialized schools like the Fu Hsing Kang College, the Defense Medical College, the Defense Management College, and the Chung Cheng Institute of Technology. Mid-career and senior career professional military education is conducted at the Armed Forces University (AFU). Tracing its roots back to 1906, AFU is the highest level institution in the Taiwan military education system. It is responsible for training strategic-level command and staff officers, as well as specialists in defense administration and military intelligence. It also conducts research into the development of war strategies and political warfare. AFU includes four colleges: the War College for senior field grade and general officers and the Command and Staff Colleges of the Army, Navy, and Air Force for junior field grade officers.
Morale. Morale, especially among the enlisted ranks, is generally assessed as poor, amidst efforts to retain competent, educated service members in the face of stiff private sector competition. The military competes poorly with the civilian economy in attracting Taiwan's youth, especially those who are technically-oriented. Continued personnel shortages stemming from low retention rates-- especially among NCOs--will remain a serious problem affecting morale. The military also is hampered by systemic problems of poor, antiquated management and a traditional military culture with very rigid command structures which discourages lower-level risk-taking, decisionmaking, and innovation. The Taiwan Army especially is facing morale problems stemming from the ongoing restructuring and downsizing. While the operational outlook and overall morale of TAF pilots is significantly better than that of PLAAF pilots-- largely due to better training opportunities and exposure to and hands on experience with more modern Western equipment--there exists a disparity between the military and civil aviators in pay and benefits, which inevitably affects morale.
Logistics and Sustainability. Taiwan's logistics capability will support some defensive operations on Taiwan, but its probability of success is highly dependent on the tempo of operations. The military reportedly is trying to make the logistics system more efficient to better support combined or joint force operations. In the interim, logistics support will remain cumbersome--but effective--for localized engagements. Taiwan's defenses rely heavily on air and naval forces, both requiring an extensive maintenance and repair infrastructure to support weapons systems and equipment. The critical requirements are major equipment end items like engines and transmissions, ammunition, fuel and especially obsolete spare parts which no longer are being manufactured.
Currently, China's more than 2.5-million-man PLA dwarfs Taiwan's defense force of about 400,000. In most cases, equipment totals also are lopsided. Only a portion of this overall strength, however, could be brought to bear against Taiwan at one time. China has nearly 4,500 combat aircraft, as compared with some 400 on Taiwan. The Chinese Navy has about 65 attack submarines--five of which are nuclear powered--as compared with four diesel attack submarines for Taiwan. China has over 60 major surface combatants while Taiwan has no more than 40. China has nuclear weapons and a ballistic missile force that can deliver nuclear or conventionally-armed warheads against Taiwan. In terms of the quality of their military equipment, however, Taipei possesses an edge over Beijing, as new weapons systems--particularly fighter aircraft and naval frigates--are entering the inventory.
Should China decide to use military force against Taiwan, there are several options or courses of action available to Beijing, including--but not limited to--an interdiction of Taiwan's SLOCs and a blockade of Taiwan's ports, a large-scale missile attack, and an all-out invasion.
Blockade. The primary intent behind a blockade of the island would be to cripple Taiwan economically and isolate it internationally. China's leaders apparently believe that this option would be less likely to provoke outside intervention than others. Beijing probably would choose successively more stringent quarantine-blockade actions, beginning with declaring maritime exercise closure areas and stopping Taiwan-flagged merchant vessels operating in the Taiwan Strait. Operations likely would include mine laying and deploying submarines and surface ships to enforce the blockade. Barring third party intervention, the PLAN's quantitative advantage over Taiwan's Navy in surface and sub-surface assets would probably prove overwhelming over time. Taiwan's military forces probably would not be able keep the island's key ports and SLOCs open in the face of concerted Chinese military action. Taiwan's small surface fleet and four submarines are numerically insufficient to counter China's major surface combatant force and its ASW assets likely would have difficulty defeating a blockade supported by China's large submarine force. The PLANAF's B-6D bombers armed with C-601 ASCMs would place Taipei's merchant ships and combatants at serious risk.
Missile Strikes. Within the next several years, the size of China's SRBM force is expected to grow substantially. An expanded arsenal of conventional SRBMs and LACMs targeted against critical facilities, such as key airfields and C4I nodes, will complicate Taiwan's ability to conduct military operations. By 2005, China will have deployed both the CSS-6 and CSS-7 SRBM. In addition, the PLA could have a first generation, air-launched LACM in its inventory. Should Beijing choose escalation, a rapid transition from relatively low-intensity blockade operations to massive missile strikes would be a likely step, particularly as a pretext to an invasion. These missile attacks most likely would be high-volume, precision strikes against priority military and political targets, including air defense facilities, airfields, Taiwan's C2 infrastructure, and naval facilities. China, however, could encounter problems coordinating missile firings with other concurrent military operations, such as air and maritime engagements. Exclusive Taiwan reliance on active missile defenses and associated BM/C3I, however, will not sufficiently offset the overwhelming advantage in offensive missiles which Beijing is projected to possess in 2005.
Air Superiority. Maintaining air superiority over the Taiwan Strait would be an essential part of any Chinese effort to mount a military operation against Taiwan. China currently has an overwhelming quantitative advantage over Taiwan in military aircraft and will retain that advantage beyond 2005. On the other hand, Taiwan's more modern aircraft will provide it with a qualitative advantage that should be retained at least through that period. PLA electronic warfare operations against air defense radars, disruption of command and control networks, and/or large scale conventional SRBM and LACM strikes against airfields and SAM sites would reduce the effectiveness of Taiwan's air defenses.
The future effectiveness of the TAF will depend on the implementation of sound pilot training, sufficient logistic and maintenance support, and the ability of the TAF to integrate satisfactorily several disparate airframes into a cohesive, operational fighting force.
For its part, Beijing is faced with similar training, maintenance, and logistics challenges, complicated further by a still questionable capability on the part of its aerospace industry to keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies. Nevertheless, while the majority of the mainland's air fleet will still be composed of second and third generation aircraft, the sheer numerical advantage of older platforms augmented by some fourth generation aircraft could attrit Taiwan's air defenses sufficiently over time to achieve air superiority.
Amphibious Invasion. An amphibious invasion of Taiwan by China would be a highly risky and most unlikely option for the PLA, chosen only as a last resort to force the total surrender of the island. It most likely would be preceded by a variety of preparatory operations to include a blockade, conventional missile strikes, and special operations on Taiwan. These operations would play a critical role in determining how China would pursue the coup de grace, with an amphibious assault only one facet of a multi-pronged invasion plan. Beijing's amphibious lift capability is extremely limited at present and there are no indications that China is devoting resources to improve significantly its amphibious assault capability. As a result, success only would be achieved with a massive commitment of military and civilian assets over a long period of time and without third party intervention; furthermore, an invasion would bring almost certain damage to China's economy and its diplomatic interests, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.
The first move in an invasion plan likely would be a SLOC/blockade interdiction operation. The PLAAF and PLANAF would try to establish an air defense umbrella over the Taiwan Strait in preparation for local air superiority operations. Ground-based air defense assets would deploy forward and be integrated into the umbrella. Naval surface actions groups would begin operations near Taiwan's major ports. Announced missile closure areas and port mining by submarines would be designed to canalize traffic and force Taiwan naval vessels into engagement areas. Ground force mobilization likely would begin and PLA combat air patrols over the Taiwan Strait would intensify. Invasion operations would follow sufficiently close on the heels of conventional missile attacks to prevent Taipei from repairing and reconstituting damaged facilities. As the PLA's amphibious lift capacity in 2005 would still be limited, an amphibious over-the-beach assault would be extremely problematic. Rather, airborne, airmobile, and special operations forces likely would conduct simultaneous attacks to the rear of Taiwan's coastal defenses to seize a port, preferably in close proximity to an airfield. Seizing a beach-head likely would constitute a supporting attack. An airborne envelopment would facilitate amphibious operations by cutting off Taiwan's coastal defenders from supply lines and forcing them to fight in two directions.
Beijing's suppression of Taiwan's air defenses would be followed rapidly by a "second-wave" air attack which would attempt to establish air superiority over an invasion corridor in the Taiwan Strait. Priority for air defense protection and fighter escort operations would shift from bombers carrying ASCMs to fixed- and rotary-wing transports ferrying additional airborne and airmobile assault forces. Both China's amphibious fleet and a large portion of its huge merchant fleet would complete rapid reaction unit upload operations and depart from ports along the central coast. China also likely would saturate the Taiwan Strait with a huge number of noncombatant merchant and fishing vessels, with the aim of confusing and overwhelming Taipei's surveillance and target acquisition systems. The PLA's success in establishing and maintaining a foothold on the island would rest on a variety of intangibles to include personnel and equipment attrition rates on both sides of the Strait; the interoperability of PLA forces; and the ability of China's logistic system to support adequately optempo operations.
In order for an invasion to succeed, in other words, Beijing would have to possess the capability to conduct a multi-faceted campaign, involving air assault, airborne insertion, special operations raids, amphibious landings, maritime area denial operations, air superiority operations and conventional missile strikes. The PLA likely would encounter great difficulty conducting such a sophisticated campaign by 2005. Nevertheless, the campaign likely would succeed--barring third party intervention--if Beijing were willing to accept the almost certain political, economic, diplomatic, and military costs that such a course of action would produce.
Information Dominance. The Chinese currently are focusing on eliminating specific deficiencies they have in both areas of IO/IW technology and training. The PLA is engaged in efforts to improve the staff planning process by applying joint forces concepts learned from studying foreign IO/IW doctrine. Recent IO/IW military exercises claim to have included computer network attack and defend exercises. Public disclosure of these IO/IW exercises serves as an informational tool for the PLA to the future importance of IO/IW in Chinese military doctrine and reaffirms China's intent to continue developing and improving its IO/IW capability. In spite of these activities, the Chinese have many challenges to overcome and Beijing's ability to paralyze Taiwan's command and control appears limited at best.
On the other side of Taiwan Strait, IO may be an attractive--but untested tool--in multiplying the effectiveness of Taiwan's military forces. As one of the world's largest producers of computer components, Taiwan has all of the basic capabilities needed to carry out offensive IO-related activities, particularly computer network attacks and the introduction of malicious code. Formal doctrine development to guide future employment of these capabilities already may be in progress. As Taiwan increases its role in the manufacture of new computer warfighting systems, Taipei's capability to exploit its position for IO activities can be expected to increase substantially.
During the twenty-year period from 1979 to 1999, the security situation in the Taiwan Strait has exhibited simultaneously both significant change in some respects and remarkable constancy in others. The greatest change has occurred in the political and diplomatic arenas, a reflection of the political changes which have taken place in both Beijing and Taipei, and between Beijing and Taipei. On the other hand, despite the modest qualitative improvement in the military forces of both China and Taiwan, the dynamic equilibrium of those forces in the Taiwan Strait has not changed dramatically over the last two decades, except in a few niche areas like China's deployment of SRBMs.
Despite anticipated improvements to Taiwan's missile and air defense systems, by 2005, the PLA will possess the capability to attack Taiwan with air and missile strikes which would degrade key military facilities and damage the island's economic infrastructure. China will continue to give priority to long-range precision-strike programs. Similarly, despite improvements in Taiwan's ability to conduct ASW operations, China will retain the capability to interdict Taiwan's SLOCs and blockade the island's principal maritime ports. Should China invade Taiwan, such an operation would require a major commitment of civilian air and maritime transport assets, would be prolonged in duration, and would not be automatically guaranteed to succeed. In the end, any of these options would prove to be costly to Beijing--politically, economically, diplomatically, and militarily.
Beyond 2005, development of a modern military force capable of exerting military influence within the region, achieving deterrence against potential enemies, preserving independence of action in domestic and foreign affairs, protecting the nation's economic resources and maritime areas, and defending the sovereignty of the nation's territory will remain one of China's national priorities. Beijing will strive to create a smaller, more modern, better trained, more professional, and better logistically supported force, with an emphasis on air, naval and missile forces. China will continue to improve its regional force projection capabilities, but will not possess the conventional military capabilities to exert global influence.
The PLA will field large numbers of increasingly accurate SRBMs and introduce LACMs into its inventory. China's naval forces will continue their transition from a large coastal defense force to a smaller, more modern force able to conduct limited sea control operations against regional opponents in the East and South China Seas. China's air force will continue to assimilate greater numbers of fourth generation aircraft into its inventory, upgrade its regional IADS, and expand its airborne refueling and AEW capabilities. China will retain a numerical advantage over Taiwan in terms of both personnel and weapons.
On the other side of the Taiwan Strait, by 2005, Taipei will possess a qualitative edge over Beijing in terms of significant weapons and equipment. The TAF will have over 300 fourth generation fighters. Six French- built Lafayette-class frigates, eight U.S. Knox-class frigates, and eight Perry-class frigates will form the nucleus of Taiwan's naval force. Taiwan will possess an advanced air defense network, comprising an AEW capability, an automated C2 system, and several modern SAM systems, which will provide Taiwan with an enhanced defensive capability against both aircraft and missiles. The mobility and firepower of Taiwan's ground forces will have been improved with the acquisition of additional tanks, armored personnel carriers, self-propelled artillery and attack helicopters.
Taiwan's primary security goal beyond 2005 will be to maintain the status quo, while retaining its long-term objective of eventual peaceful reunification with China on terms favorable to Taipei. Taiwan will seek to advance its international status, maintain a strong economy, modernize its military forces, and further democratize the island's political system. At the same time, Taipei will endeavor to expand political, cultural, and economic ties with Beijing, thereby reducing tensions with China and lessening the prospects of military conflict in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan's military strategy will remain defensive. Its success in deterring potential Chinese aggression will be dependent on its continued acquisition of modern arms, technology and equipment and its ability to deal with a number of systemic problems -- primarily the recruitment and retention of technically-qualified personnel and the maintenance of an effective logistics system--lest Taipei once again risk losing its qualitative edge.
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