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Topic: Military Science and Military Issues (Read 107145 times)
Power User
Posts: 2167
NATO expansion
Reply #500 on:
May 08, 2014, 12:32:36 PM »
Also from National Interest, and may be of interest here:
Power User
Posts: 4284
most defense projects go over budget
Reply #501 on:
May 10, 2014, 09:40:27 AM »
With the recent announcement of the new multibillion dollar Presidential helicopter program the question remains will it even remain within the budget. Answer is almost certainly no.
Power User
Posts: 32244
Re: Military Science and Military Issues
Reply #502 on:
May 10, 2014, 11:08:30 AM »
BD's post on NATO expansion raises important questions. Let's discuss in US-Russia or Russia-Europe or US Foreign Policy thread
Power User
Posts: 32244
How to redesign the military from scratch
Reply #503 on:
May 14, 2014, 09:59:41 AM »
Power User
Posts: 2167
Chinese Special Forces Take 1st, 2nd And 4th Place
Reply #504 on:
May 24, 2014, 01:10:16 PM »
From the article:
Since 2010, Chinese delegations have rocketed to the top of international special operations, police and military sniper competitions, benefiting from increased training and better weapons. It is important to note, however, that many top special operations units were not present at this training competition (including notable US and Russian forces presently active on operations) and that the kind of skills tested in the Warrior Competition form only part of special operations and counterterrorism capabilities.
Power User
Posts: 12277
Re: Chinese Special Forces Take 1st, 2nd And 4th Place
Reply #505 on:
May 25, 2014, 12:00:07 AM »
Quote from: bigdog on May 24, 2014, 01:10:16 PM
From the article:
Since 2010, Chinese delegations have rocketed to the top of international special operations, police and military sniper competitions, benefiting from increased training and better weapons. It is important to note, however, that many top special operations units were not present at this training competition (including notable US and Russian forces presently active on operations) and that the kind of skills tested in the Warrior Competition form only part of special operations and counterterrorism capabilities.
This is not good news for Taiwan. It's anticipated that special ops will play a big role in China's move to end it's independence.
Power User
Posts: 32244
US's SF operations for Africa
Reply #506 on:
June 14, 2014, 02:28:06 PM »
Power User
Posts: 6233
How did 800 ISIS fighters rout 2 Iraqi divisions (30,000 Iraqi Army soldiers)?
Reply #507 on:
June 16, 2014, 04:13:25 PM »
I don't see a precise answer here, but an interesting question:
How did 800 ISIS fighters rout 2 Iraqi divisions?
Jun. 12, 2014
An image from a video posted by a group supporting the al-Qaida breakaway Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, shows a militant in front of a burning Iraqi army Humvee in Tikrit, Iraq. (The Associated Press)
By Andrew Tilghman and Jeff Schogol
But the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, apparently has routed an estimated 30,000 Iraqi Army soldiers who were trained by the U.S. military and given billions in sophisticated American military equipment.
The stunning outcome reflects widespread desertions among the Iraqi units in the north as well as the Sunni-Shiite sectarian tensions that underlie the military battles, experts say.
Its a relativity small force that managed to take the city [of Mosul], and its shocking that they were able to do that, said Charlie Cooper, who studies Islamic extremism for the Quilliam Foundation in London.
To me, that suggests there is collusion or at least deliberate capitulation on the part of Sunni tribes in western and northern Iraq, Cooper said. Its likely that this happened because Sunni tribes in the area let it happen.
Check this ISIS slideshow. Contains pics of US made military material taken from #Iraq army:
Power User
Posts: 32244
Chinese submarine program
Reply #508 on:
July 05, 2014, 09:48:52 AM »
Power User
Posts: 2167
Digging our own Grave
Reply #509 on:
August 01, 2014, 05:49:37 PM »
From the article:
In the 1990s, the US Department of Defence pioneered the theory of warfare that came to be called network-centric warfare. This involves taking advantage of the innovations taking place in information communication technology within the sphere of military operations. Publications, such as, Understanding Information Age Warfare by David Alberts and others (2001) outline the basic tenets of the theory, of which there are four. 1) Thoroughly networked force improves information sharing; 2) by sharing information, shared situational awareness and the quality of information is enhanced; the effects of shared situational awareness includes enabling collaboration and self-synchronisation, bettering sustainability and speed of command; which greatly improve mission effectiveness.
Although these forms of warfare theory have been developed in the West, they seem to have been co-opted by the radical Islamist insurgent and terrorist movements. The current style of prosecuting war seems to be more in line with third generation warfare principles, where information plays a supporting role to military operations.
Power User
Posts: 144
Re: How did 800 ISIS fighters rout 2 Iraqi divisions (30,000 Iraqi Army soldiers)?
Reply #510 on:
August 08, 2014, 02:17:16 PM »
Quote from: DougMacG on June 16, 2014, 04:13:25 PM
I don't see a precise answer here, but an interesting question:
How did 800 ISIS fighters rout 2 Iraqi divisions?
Jun. 12, 2014
An image from a video posted by a group supporting the al-Qaida breakaway Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, shows a militant in front of a burning Iraqi army Humvee in Tikrit, Iraq. (The Associated Press)
By Andrew Tilghman and Jeff Schogol
But the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, apparently has routed an estimated 30,000 Iraqi Army soldiers who were trained by the U.S. military and given billions in sophisticated American military equipment.
The stunning outcome reflects widespread desertions among the Iraqi units in the north as well as the Sunni-Shiite sectarian tensions that underlie the military battles, experts say.
Its a relativity small force that managed to take the city [of Mosul], and its shocking that they were able to do that, said Charlie Cooper, who studies Islamic extremism for the Quilliam Foundation in London.
To me, that suggests there is collusion or at least deliberate capitulation on the part of Sunni tribes in western and northern Iraq, Cooper said. Its likely that this happened because Sunni tribes in the area let it happen.
Check this ISIS slideshow. Contains pics of US made military material taken from #Iraq army:
There was a soap opera when I was a kid. They called it "As The World Turns." Never been much on soap operas, but I wouldn't mind watching one called "As The World Burns." It has a little more zest and fervor. Training the Iraqi military, so they can have their asses handed to them... a bit reminiscent of what happened with the USSR, Mujahideen and CIA and company... better to just stay out of it and let it implode.
Singing in the rain...
Power User
Posts: 32244
Why America needs the Army
Reply #511 on:
August 22, 2014, 10:19:27 AM »
Power User
Posts: 4284
Instead of remeber the Alamo
Reply #512 on:
August 24, 2014, 11:12:34 AM »
or the Lusitania it will be remember Foley?
What till it is fully mature and then come out all over the airwaves that this is something the world has never seen. I guess the General has to get out in front of his (and Obama's) blunders:
Last Edit: August 24, 2014, 11:14:58 AM by ccp
Power User
Posts: 32244
Greece helped Israel study Russian radar
Reply #513 on:
September 07, 2014, 01:47:39 PM »
Power User
Posts: 32244
Only 3 out of 10 young men qualified to join the Army
Reply #514 on:
September 08, 2014, 07:16:30 AM »
Remarks from former SMA Preston to US Congress. It is amazing when you really consider the applicant pool.
"statistics from the U.S. Army Recruiting Command in the 17-24 age male category, only 3 out 10 young men are qualified to join the Army. Three out of 10.
What is wrong with the other seven? Four do not have the education qualifications a high school diploma, or a GED equivalent or score so low on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test, the entrance exam for the Armed Forces they cannot join the team. Two are physically or morally unqualified, they have a disqualifying physical limitation or have disqualifying law violations. And one is in the all others category in prison, etc.
Of the three that are qualified, 1.5 will go to college. So as an Army, we are competing for the other 1.5 with corporate America and with the other services, a population of about 2 to 3.5 million young men.
Despite all of the challenges, the active component achieved its mission of 80,000, the Army Reserve ended the year at 99.5%, a few points short of their mission of 25,500, but exceeded last years numbers by almost 6-thousand. The Army National Guard made 98.6% of their mission of 70,000 and exceeded last years enlistments by almost 19-thousand. Those are incredible numbers for an Army"
Power User
Posts: 32244
Israel's ABM systems
Reply #515 on:
September 09, 2014, 09:55:17 PM »
Israel and the US Missile Defense Agency tested an improved Arrow 2 anti-ballistic missile at an Israeli test range over the Mediterranean Sea Tuesday, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. An Arrow 2 missile was launched and performed its flight sequence as planned. The results are being analyzed by program engineers, the statement read. Defense Ministry spokesperson Jonathan Mosery said that the Arrow 2 system, which has been operational for years and is intended for use against long-range threats, like Iron Dome, undergoes ongoing improvements to software and hardware and other components. Israel is in the process of developing a five-tiered system of air defense, offering protection against projectiles ranging from mortars to ballistic weapons.
Watch Here
Of the two operational systems, only Iron Dome has been used in combat. Defending against short-to-mid-range rockets, it intercepted roughly 90 percent of its targeted projectiles during Operation Protective Edge, according to figures released by the army. The other three systems Iron Beam, Davids Sling, and Arrow 3 are expected to become operational within the coming two years. The Arrow 2 was rolled out in March 2000. This is a great day for the Air Defense Forces, for the Air Force, the defense establishment and, I would say, for the State of Israel, Maj. Gen. Eitan Ben Eliyahu said at the time. He called the Arrow 2 the only weapon system of its kind in the entire world, adding that Israel is the first country to succeed in developing, building and operating a defense system against ballistic missiles. Tuesdays test, the Defense Ministry said, has no bearing on the Israeli operational systems capability to cope with the existing threats in the region and is merely intended to counter future threats. The Arrow 3, still incomplete, is designed to intercept missiles at a higher altitude, in space and above the earths atmosphere, minimizing the threat of fallout from weapons of mass destruction and increasing the likelihood of a successful interception of incoming missiles.
Power User
Posts: 32244
Gen. Scales: Fighting the ISIL way of war
Reply #516 on:
September 15, 2014, 07:14:53 AM »
The ISIS Way Of War Is One We Know Well
Like Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam and Mao in Korea, the enemy is brutal, elusive and armed with good-enough weapons.
By Robert H. Scales
Sept. 14, 2014 5:06 p.m. ET
The images are frightening and the consequences dispiriting as the Islamic State rapes, tortures and murders its way across Syria and Iraq in some twisted version of black-clad blitzkrieg. President Obama was clearly caught off guard by this unexpectedly horrific enemy. Now he is trying to conduct a war against the Islamic State, or ISIS, by striking the terrorists with air power and seeking regional allies to do the dying for us.
Sadly, ISIS is the latest example of a behavior in wars against Western powers that has proven remarkably consistent regardless of region, intensity or level of conflict. From Mao in Korea to Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam to Saddam Hussein and now Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Iraq, all act in fundamentally the same predictable manner.
The strategic ambitions of all our enemies have been the same. They have sought to exclude the West from interfering in their regional ambitions and have aimed to confront Western militaries below the nuclear threshold.
Enlarge Image
An image grab taken from a video released by the Islamic State (IS) and identified by private terrorism monitor SITE Intelligence Group on September 13, 2014 Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Their methods are much the same as well, often killing more for the psychological effect than military advantage. Western armies go into villages to win hearts and minds. ISIS storms villages intent on killinglocal leaders, teachers, captured government officials and soldiers, the unbelievers, anyone who would oppose their ideological or religious ambitions. It's a method that has been used by guerrillas the world over for decades; the ISIS terrorists just seem more fanatical and better at it. They also murder Americans and amplify the acts on social media, hoping that the sight of our dead will wear us down and diminish our willingness to fight.
ISIS and other terrorists know that Western militaries fight short wars well and long wars poorly. Thus they employ a patient method of fighting that engages only when the odds are in their favor. When it goes badly, they look to any well-meaning international body to interfere long enough to regenerate their forces and return to the fight.
Seventy years of experience has taught them the folly of fighting using Western ways. Instead, they have adapted a way of war that avoids the killing effects of Western technology and firepower. They "spot" us control of the air, sea and space. They disperse, hide, dig in and go to ground. They seek shelter among the innocents and amplify any Western transgression with cameras thrust into the dead faces of women and children.
They fight with secondhand technology that's good enough. The Chinese and North Vietnamese did most of their killing with mortars and automatic rifles. Hezbollah and Hamas, in various clashes with Israel, have knocked out Israeli tanks with simple handheld anti-tank missiles. Command and control is by cell phone and courier. Americans died by the hundreds in Iraq and Afghanistan from the crude technology of shells and explosives buried along roads and trails.
A worrisome survey of contemporary history reveals that the enemy's strategies and tactics are both consistent and effectiveand getting better. It will take more than a few bloody beheadings before we see American "boots on the ground" again. Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday that no U.S. combat troops would be deployed to Iraq "unless, obviously, something very, very dramatic changes." ISIS has already begun to disperse and dig in to obviate the effects of airstrikes. They will continue to brutalize the region and eventually threaten the American homeland. And, as always, ultimately we will confront them.
The enemy knows that while we may have the most sophisticated military in the world, it is a military that remains ill-suited to defeat them. The truth is that missiles, ships and planes are mostly irrelevant when not used against a traditional military foe. It was true in Vietnam, and in Afghanistan.
This kind of enemy truly fears us only when we meet them on their ground, with the will and conviction to kill them in large numbers.
Some day the brutality and successes of ISIS in Iraq and Syria will demand that we meet them on the ground; no other force in the region, and none likely to be convened, will have the capacity to vanquish them, even with U.S. air support.
When we do, the responsibility for defeating this foe will rest exactly where it has in the past: On the shoulders of men and women who are willing to kill in close. We have too few of them, and they are getting scarcer by the day. If the past is prologueand I believe it isthen a combat force consisting of less than 4% of those in uniform and costing less than 2% of the national budget will be asked to do the job again. I suspect that the outcome, again, will be problematic.
Maj. Gen. Scales retired from active duty in 2000 as commandant of the Army War College.
Power User
Posts: 144
Re: Military Science and Military Issues
Reply #517 on:
September 25, 2014, 12:13:41 PM »
Excellent article. Unfortunately, just as with the Soviet/Afghani war, the best way to counter high tech, is low tech, and to the great disadvantage of any major power, they have governments (and the public behind them), that lack the stomach to win, - in this case, eradicate someone from existence due to the school of thought that is instilled since birth.
Barring that, there is no winning this war because the cost of failure in the afterlife, outweighs that of any earthly suffering.
I do disagree with one point presented. Western powers have never fought these wars in their own land, and while a ground force would certainly win any foreign conflict, one fought daily in one's own streets, with one's own family members being the casulties, that is something that I can't remember happening in any western country, barring Mexico's northern border, south to Bolivia. It changes the way things are done is a persistent problem.
The best strategy perhaps would be to remove all western presence from their countries, allow the crushing weight of their own economic failures to drown them into a state of reasonableness, and answer any aggression on western soil with complete annihilation, letting them know that in advance.
My two cents.
Singing in the rain...
Power User
Posts: 637
We Can Defeat ISIS Without Allying With Terrorists...
Reply #518 on:
September 26, 2014, 09:33:05 AM »
We Dont Need to Ally with Terrorists to Defeat ISIS
Posted By Daniel Greenfield On September 26, 2014 @ frontpagemag.com
The big foreign policy debate now is whether we should ally with Sunni or Shiite Jihadists to defeat ISIS.
The pro-Iranian camp wants us to coordinate with Iran and Assad. The pro-Saudi camp wants us to arm the Free Syrian Army and its assorted Jihadists to overthrow Assad.
Both sides are not only wrong, they are traitors.
Iran and the Sunni Gulfies are leading sponsors of international terrorism that has killed Americans. Picking either side means siding with the terrorists.
It makes no sense to join with Islamic terrorists to defeat Islamic terrorists. Both Sunni and Shiite Jihadists are our enemies. And this is not even a the enemy of my enemy scenario because despite their mutual hatred for each other, they hate us even more.
The 1998 indictment of bin Laden accused him of allying with Iran. (Not to mention Iraq, long before such claims could be blamed on Dick Cheney.) The 9/11 Commission documented that Al Qaeda terrorists, including the 9/11 hijackers, freely moved through Iran. Testimony by one of bin Ladens lieutenants showed that he had met with a top Hezbollah terrorist. Court findings concluded that Iran was liable for Al Qaedas bombing of US embassies. Al Qaeda terrorists were trained by Hezbollah.
While Shiite and Sunni Jihadists may be deadly enemies to each other, they have more in common with each other than they do with us. Our relationship to them is not that of the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Thats their relationship to each other when it comes to us. In these scenarios we are the enemy.
The pro-Saudi and pro-Iranian factions in our foreign policy complex agree that we have to help one side win in Syria. Theyre wrong. We have no interest in helping either side win because whether the Sunnis or Shiites win, Syria will remain a state sponsor of terror.
Its only a question of whether it will be Shiite or Sunni terror.
Our interest is in not allowing Al Qaeda, or any of its subgroups, to control Syria or Iraq because it has a history of carrying out devastating attacks against the United States. We dont, however, need to ally with either side to accomplish that. We can back the Kurds and the Iraqi government (despite its own problematic ties) in their push against ISIS in Iraq and use strategic strikes to hit ISIS concentrations in Syria. We should not, however, ally, arm or coordinate strikes with either side in the Syrian Civil War.
Both the pro-Saudi and pro-Iranian sides insist that ISIS cant be defeated without stabilizing Syria. But it doesnt appear that Syria can be stabilized without either genocide or partition. Its conflict is not based on resistance to a dictator as the Arab Springers have falsely claimed, but on religious differences.
Helping one side commit genocide against the other is an ugly project, but that would be the outcome of allying with either side.
Stabilizing Syria is a myth. The advocates of the FSA claimed that helping the Libyan Jihadists win would stabilize Libya. Instead the country is on fire as Jihadists continue to fight it out in its major cities.
Even if the FSA existed as an actual fighting force, which it doesnt, even if it could win, which it cant, there is every reason to believe that Syria would be worse than Libya and an even bigger playground for ISIS. The FSA enthusiasts were wrong in Egypt and Libya and everywhere else. They have no credibility.
The pro-Iranians claim that helping the Syrian government will subdue ISIS, but Assad hasnt been able to defeat the Sunni Jihadists even with Russian help. The Syrian army and its Hezbollah allies are still struggling despite having an air force, heavy artillery and WMDs. Not only shouldnt we be allying with Shiite terrorists who have killed plenty of Americans over the years, but it would be extremely stupid to ally with incompetent terrorists. Allying with the FSA or Assad makes as much sense as allying with ISIS.
The difference is that ISIS at least seems to be able to win battles.
Some pro-Iranian wonks claim that if we dont get Assads approval for air strikes, he will shoot down Americans planes. Thats about as likely as Saddam Hussein returning from the dead to audition for American Idol. Assad didnt even dare shoot down Israeli planes who were buzzing his palace. The odds of him picking a fight with the United States Air Force are somewhere between zero, nil and zilch.
We dont need Assads permission to hit ISIS targets in Syria and, in one of the few things that this administration is doing right, we arent asking for it. Unless Assad experiences a bout of severe mental illness, he isnt going to fight us for the privilege of losing to ISIS. Not even Saddam was that crazy.
The big potential problem in this war is mission creep. Thats why we should avoid committing to any overarching objectives such as stabilizing Syria. Unfortunately that is exactly what Obama has done.
Its not our job to stabilize Syria and short of dividing it into a couple of majority states in which the Sunni and Shiite Arabs, the Kurds, the Christians and maybe even the Turkmen get their own countries, its not a feasible project. We have the equipment and power to pound ISIS into the dirt when its forces concentrate in any area. We can send drones to target their leaders. If Assad or the FSA want to provide us with intel, we can use it as long as we dont begin working to help them fulfill their own objectives.
We need to remember that we are not there for the Syrians or Iraqis; were there for ourselves.
After September 11 we learned the hard way the costs of letting enemy terrorists set up enclaves and bases. But we also learned the hard way the costs of trying to stabilize unstable Muslim countries.
Al Qaeda, in its various forms, will always find sanctuaries and conflicts because the Muslim world is unstable and widely supportive of terrorism. For now this is a low intensity conflict that denies the next bin Laden the territory, time and manpower to stage the next September 11. We can do this cheaply and with few casualties if we keep this goal in mind.
This isnt nation building. Its not the fight for democracy. All were doing is terrorizing the terrorists by using our superior reach and firepower to smash their sandcastle emirates anywhere they pop up.
Allying with terrorists to defeat terrorists is counterproductive. The Muslim world will always have its Jihadists, at least until we make a serious effort to break them which we wont be doing any time soon. But we can at least stop making the problem worse by arming and training our own enemies.
"You have enemies? Good. That means that you have stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill.
Power User
Posts: 32244
Re: Military Science and Military Issues
Reply #519 on:
September 26, 2014, 12:39:37 PM »
The War on Military Readiness
Having taken away the option of boots on the ground to eradicate the murderous cutthroats of the Islamic State -- yet placing 3,000 U.S. troops in harm's way to fight Ebola in Liberia -- Barack Obama reluctantly gave the go-ahead to a series of airstrikes and missile assaults on ISIL targets in Iraq and Syria, with "coalition" forces deploying aircraft, drones and dozens of Tomahawk missiles.
Despite the presence of coalition members Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, with Qatar in a supporting role, the vast majority of the armaments and strikes were provided and conducted by American forces. Moreover, the 47 Tomahawk missiles used in initial strikes comprised almost half the number Obama was planning on acquiring next year. In fact, he wants to eliminate that program by 2016. With our current stockpile of Tomahawks, we could maintain the current pace of strikes for only a matter of weeks, since Obama wasn't planning to replace them. The Pentagon estimates our efforts in Iraq and Syria will cost between $7 million and $10 million per day.
Beyond that, officials at the Pentagon concede that wiping out ISIL could take a while. Lt. Gen. Bill Mayville called recent airstrikes only the beginning and warned that, to be successful, the operation would have a timeline in terms of years. One airstrike may bump up those all-important approval numbers and help Democrat senators in the polls. Yet to actually do long-term damage would require more diligence than Obama has exhibited thus far in the Long War.
Indeed, "in terms of years" is a far cry from shifting away from a perpetual war footing as Obama proclaimed to the UN last year. Having killed Osama bin Laden and "decimated" al-Qaida, Obama foolishly figured he could simply remove American forces and cede our influence in that volatile region of the world.
Given that thought process, it's no surprise Obama's latest defense budget signals a further retreat from military readiness at less than $500 billion, with corresponding manpower limits reducing the size of our military. According to Wall Street Journal foreign-affairs columnist Bret Stephens, "By 2017, the U.S. military will be an increasingly hollow force, with the Army as small as it was in 1940, before conscription; a Navy the size it was in 1917, before our entry into World War I; an Air Force flying the oldest -- and smallest -- fleet of planes in its history; and a nuclear arsenal no larger than it was during the Truman administration." That's not the sort of military that would suggest we're ready for a prolonged fight against radical and resolute Islamist forces.
It's worth asking a few questions: If our various coalition members were truly willing to eradicate ISIL, why did they not come together to do the job themselves? Those five allies who helped with this mission, along with France, certainly signed on knowing it was America's fight, however reluctantly, to wipe out Islamist terror cells acting under the banner they call the Islamic State. So when -- or if -- we decide ground troops are necessary, will they lend a hand in that respect? Furthermore, can we really trust these Islamic allies? A favorite tactic of Islamist terrorists is the blue-on-green attack such as the one that killed Maj. Gen. Harold J. Greene in Afghanistan recently. So who's to say ISIL operatives won't try to likewise infiltrate our allied forces?
We've spent years arguing that the Long War will indeed take years. If Obama finally comes to that realization as well, that's a good thing. But he's also making drastic cuts to our military while at the same time deploying our forces for such things as a humanitarian mission (read: campaign distraction) against an Ebola outbreak in Africa. It's high time Obama began taking the job of commander in chief seriously.
Power User
Posts: 32244
WSJ: The Obama-Military Divide
Reply #520 on:
September 30, 2014, 10:27:42 AM »
The Obama-Military Divide
What should senior officers do if experience tells them that the president's plan to defeat ISIS is unworkable without U.S. combat troops?
Seth Cropsey
Sept. 29, 2014
In President Obama's "60 Minutes" interview on Sunday, he reiterated his vow not to involve U.S. combat troops in the fight against Islamic State jihadists. He would avoid "the mistake of simply sending U.S. troops back" into Iraq, Mr. Obama said, noting that "there's a difference between them advising and assisting Iraqis who are fighting versus a situation in which we got our Marines and our soldiers out there taking shots and shooting back."
Yet many Americans are skeptical, judging by the new NBC/Wall Street Journal/Annenberg poll showing that 72% of registered voters believe that U.S. troops will eventually be deployed. Perhaps Americans have been listening to some of the president's senior military advisers and several retired senior officers and have decided that their expert opinions sound more realistic.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Sept. 16 that if necessary he would recommend that the president order U.S. military advisers to "accompany Iraq troops on attacks" against Islamic State, also known as ISIS. A day later Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno said that "you've got to have ground forces that are capable of going in and rooting [ISIS] out." Gen. Odierno did not specify that the ground forces needed to be American, but he said an air campaign alone cannot defeat the jihadists occupying large parts of Iraq and Syria.
Retired senior officers speak with greater candor. James Mattis, the retired Marine general and former commander of the U.S. Central Command, told the House Intelligence Committee on Sept. 18 that it would be a mistake to rule out U.S. ground forces against ISIS. A couple of days earlier, retired Army Gen. Dan McNeill, who commanded coalition forces in Afghanistan, said in a TV interview that ground troops will be needed to defeat ISIS. If the jihadists' threat "is as serious as some people say," the general asked, "then why aren't we applying all elements of American power to it?"
Getty Images/iStockphoto
Then there is Gen. Lloyd Austin, who leads Central Command and is thus the senior commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East. Gen. Dempsey told Congress in his Sept. 16 testimony that Gen. Austin recommended committing U.S. special-operations forces to the fight against ISIS. Special-operations forces could reconnoiter and identify targets, assist aircraft that deliver ordnance on targets, kill enemy commanders and, most important, by their very presence stiffen the spine of coalition partners who might agree to send ground forces. President Obama rejected this recommendation.
It is clear that these active and retired senior officers are as doubtful about the U.S.'s ability to achieve its war aims from the air as they are convinced that ground forcesand if necessary, U.S. ground forceswill be needed either to spearhead or assume major responsibility for defeating ISIS.
The political landscape is cleared for a contest between the president's pledge not to use combat troops and the military's professional opinion that defeating the enemy requires the use of well-trained and -equipped and disciplined forces on the ground. The president will win. According to the Constitution he should. There is no question about this.
But what should an officer do who knows from years of training and combat experience that the coalition the president is assembling cannot accomplish its goals without U.S. combat troops? Does the officer swallow his reservations?
Lacking an American ground presence, a U.S. pilot forced to eject by a mechanical failure or ground fire would have to wait hours to be rescued. Do senior U.S. military officers banish the thought of what would happen were ISIS to capture a female American pilot who landed safely after ejecting over enemy-held territory?
ISIS possesses man-portable air-defense systems, or manpads. They can hit planes that provide close air supportfor instance, planes flying below 10,000 feet in a pilot-rescue operation. Search-and-rescue is difficult enough when the distance between downed pilot and help is small. When a helicopter must fly hundreds of miles to the rescuethe current situationthe chances of success rapidly diminish.
Will the administration admit a mistake if it realizes that U.S. ground troops are necessary? Or will the White House blame the military for insufficient warning, as the president blamed the intelligence community on "60 Minutes" for insufficient warning about ISIS? Senior officers face the possibility of being blamed for not having recommended what they in fact have.
President Obama may not like it, but those who spoke after 9/11 about a "long war" against Islamic jihadists got it right. The killing of Osama bin Laden ended neither al Qaeda nor its metastasizing into other terrorist groups. The terrorists will not emerge into formations on plains where they can be destroyed from the air. Rather, as in Gaza, they will hide in houses, hospitals, workshops and schools in the cities and towns that ISIS occupies. Attacking the enemy from the air is useful, but it won't succeed without ground forces that can take and hold contested positions.
Senior officers must accept their commander in chief's judgment and carry out orders. But they and like-minded advisers have another option: resigning. Not to embarrass the administration or cause a constitutional crisis, but to indicate the gravity of the ISIS threat. Until stopped, ISIS or its collaborators are likely to mount an attack against the U.S. homeland with the aim of equaling or surpassing al Qaeda's 9/11 success. A military commander's resignation, accompanied by a clear and respectful explanation, would prompt a needed debate over U.S. strategy to achieve the president's goal "to degrade and ultimately destroy" ISIS.
Resigning on principle is not a strong tradition in the U.S. military. The so-called Revolt of the Admirals in the late 1940s began with the resignation of Navy Secretary John L. Sullivan following Defense Secretary Louis Johnson's cancellation of the carrier U.S.S. United States. The argument over the carrier was a dispute over budget cuts and the combat roles of the Navy and Air Force. And the naval officers whose careers ended in the wake of Sullivan's principled resignation did not jump. They were pushed. But the Truman administration's defense cuts came with a price that was realized when the president learned that reductions in naval power prevented an effective blockade of North Korea.
Politics is, by human nature and design, complex and messy. It exists in the military no less than in other large organizations. But the stakes are particularly high where the nation's security is at riskas it now is. Clarity of purpose is essential and where it is lackingas in how to defeat ISISsenior military officers can make an important difference with their actions.
Mr. Cropsey is director of the Center for American Seapower at the Hudson Institute, where he is a senior fellow. He served as a naval officer and as deputy undersecretary of the Navy in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations.
Power User
Posts: 32244
Rapid response capabilities
Reply #521 on:
October 14, 2014, 11:06:57 AM »
The U.S. Military Improves Its Crisis Response Capabilities
October 14, 2014 | 0422 Print Text Size
The U.S. Military Improves Its Crisis Response Capabilities
Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response soldiers load into a MV-22 Osprey during a joint training mission with the French military in 2014. (PASCAL GUYOT/AFP/Getty Images)
The United States is proceeding with the establishment of another Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response (SP-MAGTF) unit in Kuwait to support operations in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility, which spans the Middle East and Central Asia. SP-MAGTF units were originally created as a response to the 2012 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, which resulted in the deaths of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other U.S. citizens. An additional unit will cover the U.S. Southern Command in the future.
Normally, U.S. Marine Expeditionary Units embarked on amphibious ships would be charged with responding to attacks like the one on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, but they are not always available or located at the right place at the right time. The 2012 attack exposed this lack of coverage and revealed the need for a pre-positioned and mobile response force that could rapidly deploy during crisis situations.
To address this gap, the U.S. Marines created flexible SP-MAGTF units that are land-based but air-deployable and able to support U.S. interests ranging from embassy reinforcement to disaster relief. The first of these units was set up in Spain and is principally geared towards supporting crisis situations in Africa. The unit, which began its deployment in 2013, has reached a full operational capability of about 1,400 Marines. It can deploy two crisis response teams with MV-22 Osprey aircraft and support them with combat aviation units.
As U.S. Marine Gen. John Paxton highlighted in an Oct. 1 discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the SP-MAGTF units are "sub-optimal" when compared to an entire Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is supported by amphibious vessels. While Marine Expeditionary Units are more capable and robust, they must commit a fixed amount of power to a specific area. These units are also limited by the speed of their ships and the range of their supporting aircraft, which constrains unit mobility and makes it difficult for a commander to prepare for an array of potential threats throughout the world. They must prioritize and commit the limited number of Marine Expeditionary Units deployed to a few specific regions, which hardly covers the full geographic spectrum of threats.
This is where the SP-MAGTF concept steps in and fills the coverage gap. The units are land-based and can be broken up and parceled out as needed. More important, they can be pre-positioned to numerous places within the command theater in response to potential threats. Elements of the U.S. Africa Command units have been temporarily stationed out of Sicily because of ongoing unrest in North Africa, predominantly in Libya. The move only requires 200 Marines to serve as a tailored response force, making the element more versatile. It is combat capable enough to protect and extract threatened U.S. personnel, and it requires much less of an overall force commitment than adjusting a Marine Expeditionary Unit to a new theater.
There are also ancillary advantages to having a ground-based Marine unit as opposed to a ship-borne one. A ground-based unit can tie in with either local forces (in military-to-military exchanges) or the community in its theater of operations, while concurrently standing by to execute its mission. Indeed, the SP-MAGTF unit covering Africa has already been utilized heavily in bilateral training with partner nations, and it evacuated U.S. personnel from South Sudan after a rise in hostilities.
The newest SP-MAGTF unit going to U.S. Central Command is the next evolution of this effort to expand coverage. Consisting of some 2,000 Marines, the unit will be headquartered in Kuwait, with various elements tasked out and positioned throughout the theater. This unit has more personnel than U.S. Africa Command's SP-MAGTF unit because U.S. Central Command covers a greater number of U.S. interests and has personnel scattered throughout a tumultuous theater. Overall, SP-MAGTF units simply repackage existing forces to better meet the needs of the Marine Corps' mission. Adaptability is an important trait for any military, and SP-MAGTF units are being created as a solution to the coverage problem highlighted by the Benghazi attack.
Read more: The U.S. Military Improves Its Crisis Response Capabilities | Stratfor
Follow us: @stratfor on Twitter | Stratfor on Facebook
Power User
Posts: 32244
Re: Military Science and Military Issues
Reply #522 on:
November 15, 2014, 11:04:29 AM »
Not familiar with this website and thus I have no idea as to its reliability;
but with Russia's world-wide cockiness (Ukraine, deals with Iran, bombers in the Carribean and much more) and the rapidity with which we are losing our lead (Chinese now have stealth fighters with tech stolen from us, Iranians now have advanced drone tech reversed engineered from drone they hacked/captured from us and Obama failed to seize back or destroy) I can't say that this strikes me as implausible , , ,
Power User
Posts: 2167
excellent speech
Reply #523 on:
November 20, 2014, 10:23:25 AM »
From the article:
There is a tendency in the United States to confuse the study of war and warfare with militarism. Thinking clearly about the problem of war and warfare, however, is both an unfortunate necessity and the best way to prevent it. As the English theologian, writer, and philosopher G.K. Chesterton observed, War is not the best way of settling differences, but it is the only way of preventing them being settled for you.
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text: It's time to finally get a handle on your heating bills. Big Sky Alternative Heat is an official dealer in Central Boiler outdoor furnaces, which provide the warmth, comfort, and economic advantages of burning wood without the mess, inconvenience, and dangers posed by indoor burning. An outdoor furnace is not only going to save you money, but help reduce your carbon footprint, so it makes sense not only for your wallet but also for the environment.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
1965 Cadillac Eldorado convertible,a solid car,just out of lengthy storage,finished in the factory Peacock Firemist,with a complimenting Blue interior.This Caddy is loaded with P.S.,P.W.,P.W.,tilt/telescope... More
Immaculate 1976 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible. This car features a 500 cu in (8.2 L) V8 with a 3 speed automatic transmission. Options include Air... More
THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF DETROIT LUXURY AT ITS BEST. 1976 WAS THE LAST YEAR FOR THE ELDORADO FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CONVERTIBLE. THIS... More
1990 Cadillac Eldorado, Registered auto appaiser. Remarks compare to new off factory assembly line. Fully equipped - vinyl top, Pearl White paint/Blue Gray Cloth, 45,106... More
1980 CADILLAC ELDORADO CONVERTIBLE. . . . . SPECIAL ORDER. . . . . . SILVER PAINT . . . . . BLACK POWER... More
1976 CADILLAC ELDORADO. THIS CAR HAS A WORKING CONVERTIBLE TOP. IT HAS A BURGUNDY EXTERIOR WITH A LIGHT TAN LEATHER INTERIOR, WITH SOME WOODGRAIN... More
Very nice Cadillac. Many, many things have been done on this car. - The fuel tank was dropped and cleaned out. No rust in the... More
1967 was the first year, and the most rare, of the fabulous, radically redesigned, new front wheel drive luxury coupe from Cadillac. The sale... More
This Is A Stunning Driver. Imagine Cruising Down Main Street With The Top Down-hair Blowing In The Wind-your Honey By Your Side.Rust Free-accident Free.A/c... More
- One of the first cars with design influenced by new Cadillac styling chief Chuck Jordan- New front bumper and grille treatment- Intricate bullet... More
- 1 of 400 produced- Center opening doors, a daring feature in a pillarless coupe- Famous brushed stainless steel roof- Tinted glass- Front and... More
- 1 of 815 produced- Gorgeous Harley Earl design, unique rear end treatment- Distinctive front end with Gold anodized Grille insert, rubber ?bullet? bumper... More
- Modified with pickup bed- 425/195 HP Cadillac V-8- Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor- 400 Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission- Festive Red-on-Red color combination- Plush leather interior with... More
- 472/375 HP V-8 engine- Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission- 2-door Personal Coupe configuration- Cadillac?s trademark egg crate grille, quad headlights- Red with Red leather interior-... More
- The 1953 Eldorado was part of GM's futuristic Motorama display- 1 of 532 produced- Aztec Red with matching interior- 331/210 HP V-8- Automatic... More


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The Webster Bible (WBT) | New International Version (NIV) |
1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, [and] Hezekiah, kings of Judah. | 1 The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. |
The Webster Bible is in the public domain. (The Webster Bible Online) | Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |


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[903] The Immunohistochemical Profile of the Plasmacytoid Variant of Urothelial Carcinoma: A Study of 11 Cases
Chia-Sui Kao, Muhammed Idrees, Liang Cheng, David J Grignon. Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
Background: Urothelial carcinomas (UC) exhibit many patterns, one of which is the plasmacytoid variant, characterized by discohesive tumor cells displaying a "plasmacytoid" appearance. Cells also frequently have a monocyte-like or signet ring cell-like morphology. The plasmacytoid variant is prone to misinterpretation as other neoplasms, especially in a limited sample, most commonly as plasmacytoma, metastatic lobular carcinoma of the breast or signet ring cell carcinoma of the gastrointestinal tract. Distinguishing plasmacytoid variant of urothelial carcinoma (PVUC) from other entities can be achieved using an appropriate panel of immunohistochemical stains. Furthermore, MUC protein expression has been the focus of studies on other aggressive variants of UC. The purpose of this study was to further define the IHC profile of PVUC including MUC protein expression.
Design: From our surgical pathology files, 11 cases of PVUC were identified and confirmed by reviewing hematoxylin and eosin stained sections. The plasmacytoid variant was defined by the presence of discohesive tumor cells with centrally or eccentrically located nuclei and moderate eosinophilic or amphophilic cytoplasm, infiltrating as single cells, cords or solid aggregates. Immunohistochemical stains were performed on all cases and evaluated for proportion and intensity of positivity.
Results: PVUC expressed p53 protein (100%), MUC1 (90%), 34ßE12 (80%), MUC4 (70%), CD138 (70%), CK20 (64%), CK7 (64%), p63 (55%), MUC5 (50%), MUC2 (40%), E-cadherin (30%), and uroplakin (27%). Progesterone receptor was positive in only one case (10%). MUM1, MUC6, CDX2, and estrogen receptor were uniformly negative.
Conclusions: PVUC can generally be recognized by careful morphologic evaluation. However, in a limited sample, the use of immunohistochemical stains may be necessary to make an accurate diagnosis. A panel including 34BE12, p53, MUC4/MUC5, MUM1, CDX2, and ER/PR can distinguish the tumor from mimics in most cases. MUC proteins, in particular MUC1 and MUC4, are frequently overexpressed. These transmembrane glycoproteins have been associated with aggressive tumor behavior in other sites, possibly through cell proliferation and apoptosis.
Category: Genitourinary (including renal tumors)
Tuesday, March 20, 2012 1:00 PM
Poster Session IV # 81, Tuesday Afternoon


text:
chicago bulls - Page 2
Road Trip: Miami – From the Bird's Nest
Bulls Slip Past Hornets In Chicago
Bulls Crush Hornets
Derrick Rose Says He's Going To Win Multiple Championships
Jerry Krause For The Hall Of Fame
The Chicago Bulls won six championships, over an eight-year stretch, from 1991-1998, and rightfully have a number of personnel in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Former players Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman are all in, as is former coach head coach Phil Jackson.
But is there a glaring omission?
NBA's Greatest Teams
2012 NBA Title Contenders
Heat Win The East
The Miami Heat defeated the Chicago Bulls last night in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals by the score of 83-80. Chicago watched a 12 point lead disappear in the final 3 minutes, as LeBron James and the Heat closed the game on an 18-3 run. Miami will face the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.


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text:
Third Millennium Bible (TMB) | New International Version (NIV) |
1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod; and the angel stood, saying, "Rise, and measure the temple of God and the altar, and them that worship therein. | 1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. |
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved. (Third Millennium Bible Online) | Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |


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Duke Energy utilities probe hears from 2 directorsRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina utilities regulators are hearing from a long-time Duke Energy Corp. director with a key role in forcing out the CEO within hours of forming the country's largest electric company. Ann Maynard Gray testified Friday at the North Carolina Utilities Commission investigation of the aftermath of Charlotte-based Duke Energy taking over Raleigh-based Progress Energy this month. The commission wants to know why it wasn't told about plans to scrap long-promised CEO Bill Johnson, formerly of Progress Energy. Gray says Duke Energy's board kept Johnson away after two early personal meetings went poorly. She criticized Johnson for taking months to produce a report on insurance payments for a troubled Florida nuclear power plant. Duke Energy has 7 million electricity customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. |
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Update (9:50 a.m.): Updated with Thursday market open information and Nomura target price decrease.
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- UBS downgraded Express (EXPR - Get Report) to "neutral" from "buy" and set a $17 target price. The firm noted the company's underwhelming guidance with questionable execution and brand relevancy.
Nomura also decreased its target price on Express to $20, decreased its estimates and set a "buy" rating. The firm noted management cut guidance because of weak traffic trends.
The stock was falling 0.75% to $15.93 at 9:44 a.m. on Thursday.
Must Read: Warren Buffett's 10 Favorite Stocks STOCKS TO BUY: TheStreet Quant Ratings has identified a handful of stocks that can potentially TRIPLE in the next 12 months. Learn more. ---------- Separately, TheStreet Ratings team rates EXPRESS INC as a "hold" with a ratings score of C. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation: "We rate EXPRESS INC (EXPR) a HOLD. The primary factors that have impacted our rating are mixed - some indicating strength, some showing weaknesses, with little evidence to justify the expectation of either a positive or negative performance for this stock relative to most other stocks. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, reasonable valuation levels and expanding profit margins. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including weak operating cash flow, a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself and generally higher debt management risk." Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows:- The revenue growth came in higher than the industry average of 7.8%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 7.3%. This growth in revenue appears to have trickled down to the company's bottom line, improving the earnings per share.
- The net income growth from the same quarter one year ago has exceeded that of the Specialty Retail industry average, but is less than that of the S&P 500. The net income increased by 10.6% when compared to the same quarter one year prior, going from $17.42 million to $19.27 million.
- Despite currently having a low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, it is higher than that of the industry average, inferring that management of debt levels may need to be evaluated further. Despite the fact that EXPR's debt-to-equity ratio is mixed in its results, the company's quick ratio of 0.57 is low and demonstrates weak liquidity.
- Net operating cash flow has significantly decreased to $1.11 million or 92.55% when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, when comparing to the industry average, the firm's growth rate is much lower.
- You can view the full analysis from the report here: EXPR Ratings Report
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I have read just about every post on fixed price contracts, however there is one point I don't understand. It was the recommendation that you should have no allowances but unit quantities.
Does this mean instead of a $5k lighting allowance you should have a 25 light lighting allowance? Is there to be an assumption that you can pick anything no matter the price for the allowance amount. Most builders who do fixed price will give allowances for everything not just the unit number. The exception has been can lights and millwork. Ex. I have cart blanche for all my household cabinetry as far as style, drawers, ect. but not the wood type. There is no allowance specified. What do I need to know as I want all this figured out up front before I sign this contract? We are using the GA REA Contract to Build (Stipulated Sum) w/ Basement....that is literally the name of it. But of course there will be addendums as to specifics. THANKS! |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by tooskinneejs (My Page) on Fri, May 18, 12 at 12:38
The answer to your question depends in large part on the extent to which you have specified in the contract and design documents the finishes for your project. Using appliances as an example, if your contract specifies the exact appliance models (i.e., GE 36" model ABC123) and their quantities, then no, you don't need to have dollar allowances. The builder will price the specified items and include them in his fixed price contract. If finishes are not specified, then yes, you should certainly have a dollar amount allowance for you to spend on that finish category. For example, if your contract just said the builder will provide two front porch lights but didn't specify the exact model or give you an allowance, he could literally buy the cheapest two lights and install them and technically meet his obligations under the contract. In this case, you'd want to specify the exact model up front OR get a dollar allowance so that you could decide later. Obviously, if you get allowances, you'll want to really think about the amounts and determine whether they are sufficient. I would also recommend your contract stipulates that the allowance amounts be interchangible (i.e., you can use the entire pot of allowance money to cover the entire list of allowance items in any way you wish to allocate the funds) and that you get credited for any allowance amounts unused (not that this will happen, realistically). I would also recommend that the language regarding allowances is clear on whether the amounts relate to materials or to both materials and installation and related supplies. Kitchen counters is a good example - this allowance would usually include both materials and installation. Tile is another example of one that could be a grey area unless you are specific - in other words, does the tile allowance include (1) just the tile, (2) tile and materials (grout, sealant, adhesive, etc.), or tile, materials and labor? Lots of things to think about, but you'll save yourself a lot of headache and heartache if you think this through ahead of time. Good luck! |
- Posted by gaonmymind (My Page) on Fri, May 18, 12 at 13:13
Thanks...this helps alot. I am having him put a sheet together that outlines all of this. I just had read conflicting info regarding this. |
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text: Main Street Wine Bar is THE place to be in Tiburon. Our menu offers over 20 world-class, delicious wines by the glass. Additionally, gourmet food, and appetizers are available - in an intimate, sophisticated space with both indoor and outdoor seating. Complementing our bar offerings, we carry over 200 wine labels from around the world for purchase. Please allow us to help you select the perfect wine, whether for your most extravagant dinner parties or everyday casual consumption (and everything in between). Our inventory includes wines from all over the world and at every price point, starting as low as $14 a bottle up to $225 (Heidi Barrett is worth it!). Our knowledgeable staff can help you find whatever you might be in the mood for. The proprietress, Nancy Larson, is a 16-year resident of Tiburon. Nancy studied culinary arts at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena. Nancy is the executive chef for the wine bar and makes gourmet appetizers every Friday - enough for a dinner. Private four to six course dinners, however, are her specialty. |


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Processing Time - Orders typically ship in 2-5 business days. Transit via UPS Ground can take up to 6 business days. Braided and custom-made products may take 2 to 3 weeks for delivery.
Free Shipping to Contiguous United States - We do not ship to Alaska, Hawaii or the Caribbean Islands at this time.
Oversized items - Orders that ship freight may take up to 2 weeks from shipment date to be delivered. You will be contacted by the trucking company to schedule a delivery appointment.
Shipping to Canada - Orders shipping to Canada will be subject to a 15% shipping surcharge fee. The shipping surcharge does not cover duties, customs, taxes or brokerage fees which may be charged to you by the shipping courier at time of delivery. At this time we are not shipping to Yukon and the Northwest Territories in Canada.
Elk Lighting Angelique Angelique 11310/2 Wall Sconce in Silver Smoke Finish Silver Smoke
Item #: 348113102SW-P
Description: European elegance abounds with plated glass arms that are adorned with crystal pendalogues and bobeches that captivate your attention. Available in crystal hues of amber teak or silver smoke.
- Collection: Angelique
- Brand: Elk Lighting
- Bulb Type: CAND
- Dimension: 10" H x 12" W,8" Ext
- Light Type: Sconces
- Available in the following sizes: 10" H x 12" W,8" Ext
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Shape Properties Executive Vice President, Darren Kwiatkowski, was recently interviewed by Avenue Magazine about Deerfoot Mall. Click here to read the article.
Deerfoot News
Cabela's to serve as anchor tenant in redeveloped Deerfoot Mall site
POSTED July 22nd, 2014
First-in-market retailer signals big changes for Calgary's retail landscape
CALGARY, AB, July 17, 2014—Shape Properties is pleased to confirm that Cabela's®, the World's Foremost Outfitter® of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, will serve as an anchor tenant in the redevelopment and transformation of Deerfoot Mall. Slated to open in Fall 2015, the 70,000 sq. ft. store marks Cabela's first entry into the southern Alberta marketplace.
Shape Properties plans to redevelop the existing mall and adjacent vacant lands to create a master-planned, regional urban centre, with features including a pedestrian-friendly network of outdoor streets and plazas interspersed with indoor comforts. A diverse assortment of shops, restaurants and conveniences will be purposefully positioned for an infusion of vibrancy, creating natural social zones and a unique streetscape setting that will create a totally new shopping experience in Calgary.
"We are thrilled to count Cabela's as an early adopter of our game-changing vision. The addition of Cabela's to our retail line-up signals the new Deerfoot's ability to attract world-class, first-in-market tenants," said Darren Kwiatkowski, executive vice president of Shape Properties. "The strength of its central location, adjacent to the highway and close proximity to the airport, was a key decision making factor for Cabela's."
The new Deerfoot offers unparalleled access to consumers in the region, including high visibility with easy access from Deerfoot Trail (Highway 2) – Alberta's busiest highway with more than 128,000 vehicles passing daily. Nearby are Calgary International Airport's 24,000 employees, plus a trade area of 900,000 people within a 20-minute drive; the site will provide a central destination for community residents, commuters and tourists alike.
About Shape Properties: Shape Properties is a Western Canadian real estate investment and development company that is passionate about creating dramatically better places. Shape is currently leading the development of some of the largest and most exciting projects underway in North America. For more information, visit www.shapeproperties.com.
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To learn more about the new Deerfoot or to book an interview with Darren Kwiatkowski, executive vice president for Shape Properties, please contact:
Amanda Haines
Reformation PR
604-681-7565 ext. 101


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It's too simple to call Cold Busted just a record label. Sure, these purveyors of trip-hop, instrumental hip-hop, downtempo, and funky sounds consistently release modern classics. But the LA-based label, founded by Derrick Daisey—formerly known as DJ Vitamin D—have created a lifestyle music experience orbiting around Daisey's rarefied palette and iconic vintage-vibing artwork, and a thriving community of innovative musicians feverishly creating and collaborating.
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HTS Tvheadend
Tvheadend is part of the HTS (Home Theater System) project hosted at http://www.lonelycoder.com/hts/
It functions primarily as a TV streaming backend for HTS's own Showtime Mediaplayer but can be used standalone for other purposes, such as a Digital Video Recorder.
Contents |
1 tvheadend
You can access tvheadend's WebGUI (Web User-Interface) by accessing http://ipaddress:9981 and setup your DVB TV-adapter and probe channels. Once all is set, go to XBMC, and Add source "htsp://ipaddress:9982". If tvheadend's WebGUI found any channels, you should now be able to access those and enjoy Live TV function in XBMC.
You can use the webui to schedule recordings, at the moment, you cannot record from within XBMC itself :/
1.1 Support
- First, read the FAQ
- Visit the tvheadend forum
- Visit #hts at irc.freenode.net
1.2 tvheadend in XBMC
This type of media source will contact to a HTS Tvheadend backend and allows you to watch Live TV.
<name>HTS Tvheadend</name>
If you have authentication enabled on your tvheadend backend (which is the default if, say, you've installed it using a .deb package) then you can specify the authentication credentials in the source as follows
<name>HTS Tvheadend</name>