Dillow in Iraq: Heavy machinery protects Marines

With 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines at Battle Position Tripoli, near Al-Qaim

A lot of Marines here don't have much good to say about MRAPs. In fact, perhaps the best you can say about MRAPs is that they help keep Marines alive to complain about them.

"Personally I prefer the Humvee," says Lt. Mike Hussey of 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, a Camp Pendleton-based artillery unit now doing service as a civil affairs unit here. "But then, I haven't been blown up yet."

MRAP – pronounced "em-rap" – is short for "mine-resistant, ambush-protected" vehicle. They're the latest effort by the U.S. military to find an all-purpose vehicle that fits the special needs of this war.

But like every other vehicle that's been used over here, they have their tradeoffs.

Five years ago, in March 2003, the Marine infantrymen I was embedded with rode into this war in "amphibious assault vehicles, " or "amtraks" or simply "tracks." They were 22-ton behemoths designed to carry Marines from ship to shore, but they were pressed into service as land vehicles for the initial march up to Baghdad. But they weren't designed to withstand IEDs or roadside bombs, and soon passed out of use.

When I came back in the spring of 2004 the Marines I was with were using open-back Humvees on patrols. They offered speed and good visibility but no protection against IEDs, so by 2006 they had largely been supplanted by "up-armored" Humvees, which featured heavy armor and thick ballistic glass windows.

But not everyone liked the armored Humvees. Some Marines complained that they presented too much of a "defensive posture" to the enemy, and were hard to see out of.

And as a reporter I had a particular beef with them. Although the new Humvees were air-conditioned, the A/C blower on the right rear seat had to be blocked off to divert cool air to the vehicle's communications and electronics gear. And which seat do you think the reporter always got?

They still have the Humvees, but now MRAPs are the patrol and convoy vehicle of choice. They come in two sizes, four-wheel and six-wheel, and can carry up to six passengers plus driver, assistant driver and gunner. They weigh about 14 tons and get about 6 mpg, and they cost about $500,000 each, about three times as much as a Humvee.

The upside? With their V-shaped hulls and heavy armor, they are can withstand roadside bombs better than almost anything short of a tank. Some reports indicate that they have reduced IED casualties by as much as 90 percent.

The downside is that they're top-heavy and prone to rollovers, and they have the suspension and shock absorption characteristics of a supermarket shopping cart. You have to cinch yourself into your seat like a race car driver or else the slightest bump will send your head crashing into the roof. After one 100-mile ride in one, I needed a chiropractor.

"They do need better suspension," says Cpl. Matthew Habermann of Soldotna, Alaska, with considerable understatement. "But other than that they're a pretty good vehicle."

"It drives like a tractor," says Sgt. Scott Barker of Leonard, Texas. "But it is safer, I'll give it that."

(Habermann and Barker are both members of the 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines – which, incidentally, is the unit "adopted" last fall by the city of Irvine.)

Whether MRAPs will actually be the all-purpose vehicle the military has been looking for is uncertain. Although they work pretty well on the paved roads of western Iraq, the rugged dirt tracks of Afghanistan may be a bigger challenge.

Still, it's clear the MRAPs have accomplished what they set out to do. They are keeping Marines alive – if not particularly comfortable.

CONTACT THE WRITER GordonDillow@gmail.com. You can see more of Dillow's stories and photos from Iraq at www.ocregister.com
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/marines-vehicle-humvees-2160137-mraps-driver?slideshow=1

Ableauctions - Heavy Machinery Auctions Realize $2,100,000 in Internet Sales

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Ableauctions.com (AMEX:AAC) announced today that Stephen Passy and Associates' July 12th, 2007 and July 18th, 2007 auctions, broadcast through NAALive.com, realized over $2,100,000 in combined online sales with Internet bidding influence exceeding $3,800,000. Highlights of the auctions included the following Internet sales:

Caterpillar D10T crawler tractor - $865,000

Power curber 5700B super crawler curb & gutter machine - $125,000

Caterpillar 930G wheel loader - $105,000

Caterpillar 930G wheel loader - $100,000

Caterpillar D5N LGP crawler tractor - $80,000
Stephen Passy, President and Founder of Stephen Passy & Associates, has over thirty-two years of experience in the auction industry. As Vice President of the construction and Trucking Division of Max Rouse & Sons, Inc. Stephen was involved in over $3 billion dollars in auction sales around the globe. In 1991 he formed Stephen Passy & Associates which grossed over $60 million dollars. Forke Auctioneers hired him in 1997 and in three years achieved annual gross revenues of $59 million, and the highest net profit single transaction in Forkes' 78-year history. He reactivated Stephen Passy & Associates, Inc. in 1999 and produced gross revenues exceeding $55 million in the first 20 months of business.

About NAALive

NAALive is an Internet-based broadcast service for NAA members who conduct real auctions. Utilizing NAALive's real-time software, auction houses broadcast over the Internet and online bidders participate in live auctions as if they were physically present at the auction. NAALive also enables bidders to review auction catalogs and place absentee bids prior to an event. NAALive is rapidly becoming the standard for live Internet auctions and the premiere Web site for consumer access to the auction industry. This means thousands more potential bidders for your auctions.

About Ableauctions.com

Ableauctions.com Inc. (AMEX:AAC) is a high-tech liquidator and on-line auction facilitator that operates the domains iCollector.com, Naalive.com and Unlimited Closeouts.com.

As an on-line auction facilitator, the Company, with the experience of over 3,000 auctions, has developed state-of-the-art technology to broadcast auctions over the Internet (www.ableauctions.com/technology) and currently provides the technology and related services to auction houses, enabling them to broadcast auctions over the Internet. The Company broadcasts business and industrial auctions over the Internet for auctioneers and members of the National Auctioneers Association (NAA) and art, antique and collectible auctions for numerous galleries and auction houses around the world through eBay Live Auctions.

As a liquidator, the Company, through Unlimited Closeouts, purchases overstocks, order cancellations and discontinued products from major manufacturers and importers, then sells the merchandise to major retail chains, other resellers or the public.

For a comprehensive Corporate Update and prior releases, visit www.ableauctions.com. For more information, contact Investor Relations at investorrelations@ableauctions.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, particularly as related to, among other things, the business plans of the Company, statements relating to goals, plans and projections regarding the Company's financial position and the Company's business strategy. The words or phrases "would be," "will allow," "intends to," "may result," "are expected to," "will continue," "anticipates," "expects," "estimate," "project," "indicate," "could," "potentially," "should," "believe," "considers" or similar expressions are intended to identify "forward-looking statements." Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, involve known and unknown risks, a reliance on third parties for information, transactions or orders that may be cancelled, and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in our industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results include risks and uncertainties related to the performance of our staff, loss of management personnel, an inability to obtain financing as and when we need it, competition from other on-line auction businesses, our ability to implement or manage our expansion strategy, general economic conditions, our ability to license our software to other auction houses, our ability to acquire profitable companies and integrate them into our business successfully and other factors that are detailed in our Annual Report on Form 10-KSB and on documents we file from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements made herein are as of the date of this press release and should not be relied upon as of any subsequent date. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on such statements. The Company does not undertake, and the Company specifically disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences, developments, unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statement. E.&O.E.
http://findarticles.com

Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area

Gilbert is home to Minnesota's first designated state recreation area for off-highway vehicles (OHV) and all-terrain vehicles (ATV). This park features more than 1,200 acres of recreation trails, scramble areas, training, hill climbs, rock crawls, special events. This northern Minnesota OHV facility is for use by off-road motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and 4x4 Jeeps and trucks. This park is open to the public for recreational riding and will also host state and national competitive events.

Some areas offer a view of northern Minnesota from 200-foot-high mountains of ore that stretch more than 20 miles. More than approximately 30 miles of trails are available, along with a six-bay wash area.

Managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN-DNR), the park also features safety training and practice facilities for riders of various skill levels. In this Northern Minnesota Park, OHV trails and areas are signed with the degree of difficulty for users. There will be no charge for admission, but off-road vehicles must be properly registered for off-road use and be equipped with standard safety equipment and a muffler.

Areas for activities and special events include a multi-purpose event area, 4x4 rock crawl and obstacle course, tough-truck competition course, sand and mud drags, hill climbs, motorcycle track, observed trails, snowmobile events, bicycle motocross or mountain bike events and more.

Planning and land acquisition are currently underway for a proposed 3,500 acre addition to the OHV Park located just east of Virginia.
http://www.ironrange.org/recreation/atv-ohv/ohv-park/

Used Construction Equipment - Benefits of Purchasing

A company in the construction, landscaping or related industries generally expend tremendous amounts of money on construction equipment. Perhaps you are the owner of manager of such an enterprise and are looking for methods through which you can reel in the costs associated with running your business, including the costs associated with heavy construction equipment. To this end, you might want to give close consideration to the prospect of purchasing and utilizing used construction equipment. In point of fact, there are a number of definite benefits to purchasing and using used construction equipment.

Perhaps the most obvious benefit of electing to for the used construction equipment route when equipping your construction or construction related company is cost savings. As you undoubtedly understand, the prices of new heavy construction equipment in the 21 st century can be astronomical. However, the costs of used construction equipment are remarkably less. Indeed, you can buy used construction equipment that is of fairly recent vintage for a very reasonable cost.

Another of the benefits of purchasing used construction equipment is found in the fact that you can increase your fleet without breaking the budget. If you have a larger fleet, through the inclusion of used construction equipment, you have the ability to take on more construction jobs. As a result of taking on additional work, you will better your company’s bottom line in a shorter period of time. In short, you save money on the purchase of used construction equipment and you are able to increase your bottom line through the addition of more jobs and projects than you would have been able to undertake had you not been able to expand your equipment fleet.

There are a number of different resources available to a person seeking used construction equipment. As with so many products and services in the 21 st century, the Internet is now a decent resource for a person seeking used construction equipment. There are a number of different websites that cater specifically to trading in used construction equipment. (At these sites you can not only purchase used construction equipment but you can sell these equipment items as well.)

Naturally, in the brick and mortar world, there are a number of operations that specifically market used construction equipment. In most instances, there are different retailers that sell specific types of used construction equipment. Therefore, you will have to spend some time shopping around to find exactly what you are looking for and seeking in regard to used construction equipment.



http://www.machineryjunction.com/blog/category/equipment/

Half-Life 2: Missing Information - Weapons and Enemies

Amid City Construction Boom, Thieves Heist Heavy Machinery

As Moscow's construction boom continues unabated, thieves and robbers continue to heist heavy machinery such as cranes and cement mixers from local construction sites.

Three KamAZ cranes and one cement truck have been stolen in Moscow in the past five days, police sources said Tuesday.

In the latest incident, two unidentified assailants attacked the Uzbek driver of a KamAZ crane Monday on Varshavskoye Shosse in southern Moscow and drove off, a police source told RIA-Novosti.

The crane, worth an estimated 2.25 million rubles ($95,000), was discovered later in the Moscow region village of Sukhanovo, 10 kilometers southwest of Moscow, the source said. No one had been detained in connection with the crime as of Tuesday.

Experts say a dearth of such heavy machinery amid the city's construction boom can make a crane theft a profitable enterprise. "These machines are expensive and in short supply," said Vladimir Pantyushin, head of the economic and strategic research group at Jones Lang LaSalle. "These cranes are being used up to 24 hours a day. They can't travel very far but are easy to sell back for high profits."

On Friday, three separate cranes were stolen in Moscow.

A 42-year-old Kyrgyz man got lost while driving a KamAZ crane and was attacked by armed assailants on Novodanilovskaya Naberezhnaya, a police source told The Moscow Times.

The attackers climbed up into the salon of the crane and assaulted the driver, shooting him with a gas pistol when he tried to resist, the source said.

The robbers drove the crane, worth an estimated 5.5 million rubles ($234,000) out to the Leninsky district of the Moscow region, where they abandoned the Kyrgyz driver and drove off, the source said.

The same day, thieves stole a KamAZ crane on Bolotnikovskaya Ulitsa, near the Varshavskaya metro station in southwestern Moscow, Interfax reported. The crane was worth an estimated 6 million rubles ($255,000), the report said.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/1010/42/368818.htm

The Marvelous Diesel Mini-Tractors!

A tractor is one of the most important investments that any homesteader can make. One of these sturdy, reliable "mechanical mules" will handle any job from tilling a field to yanking a fencepost, and can really ease the newcomer's transition from urban to rural life ( or help the established farmer raise the productivity of his or her acreage).

Unfortunately, such vehicles cost money . . . often a good deal more than most folks (especially those who've just made their move back to the land) are able to afford. Even a medium-sized machine, for example, can easily set its buyer back $10,000 or more . . . and that price doesn't even include the optional (but often necessary) equipment!

A few years back, however, several farsighted manufacturers realized that a different tractor market was developing . . . one that demanded equipment that wasn't in line with what the established firms were offering. In short, while the "old guard" continued to design "bigger and better" machines (which had come to resemble construction equipment rather than tractors), the industrial innovators were busy producing smaller work vehicles with diesel engines, big machine capabilities, and lower prices.

Time has, of course, proven that the "little guys" did, indeed, know what a large segment of the public wanted, and the number of manufacturers of smaller workhorses has increased to meet that demand. This year, in fact, there's a real "bumper crop" of "commonsense compacts" to choose from . . . and there may never be a better time to give the thought of purchasing a new tractor some serious consideration.

LITTLE IMMIGRANTS

As you may have guessed, these mini-machines are—for the most part—imported. In fact, tractors made in Japan alone are being sold (or will soon be available) in the U.S. under no less than 10 different company names! According to a recent issue of Implement and Tractor (the agricultural equipment dealers' official handbook), Ford—in the past few months—has signed a marketing deal with Shibaura, while John Deere has teamed up with Yanmar, International Harvester with Kumatsu, White with Iseki, and Massey Ferguson and Allis Chalmers with Toyosha! These arrangements will really "fill out" the small tractor field already represented in North America by Kubota, Satoh, Bolens, Suzue, and Hinomoto.

Even the tiniest of the Japanese diesels (which vary in size from 12 to 17 horsepower) are in no way similar to the gasoline-driven, American-made garden and lawn units so common in suburbia today. Instead, the imports are faithfully miniaturized versions of standard-sized farm machines. They have no pretense of beauty, and their outsized drag rods, links, and lifts could even be called grotesque. . . but—pound for pound—the Oriental vehicles are outstanding performers. Most are available in either two- or four-wheel drive, with six forward and two reverse speeds, hydraulic lifts, standard (1-3/8") power take-off, Category 1 three-point hitches, and many other features previously available only on bigger machines. The small diesels can—with little or no modification—even accept a good number of the implements manufactured in the U.S. for the commercial farmer!


http://www.motherearthnews.com/Modern-Homesteading