kscarbel2

Interesting project, but in my mind, only this is a "Mutt". .

Financial Tribune / November 2, 2017 President and CEO of Volvo Trucks Martin Lundstedt conferred with [Iranian truckmaker] SAIPA chief Mehdi Jamali over the expansion of business ties and new production lines. The talks were held during a visit by Lundstedt and Volvo managers to SAIPA headquarters in west Tehran on Tuesday, the local company’s news website reported. Both sides expressed hope to expand collaboration through “joint production of commercial vehicles.” Jamali said SAIPA is interested in building ties with the Swedish company, noting that it is also planning to export a portion of its jointly produced commercial vehicles. The two carmakers have a history of collaboration. Under a deal signed in July, SAIPA Diesel will assemble 3,500 Volvo FH heavy goods vehicle during the current fiscal which started in March. As per the agreement, 5,000 units will be assembled next year. SAIPA Diesel CEO Mohammad Sadeqi, also present at the meeting, referred to Volvo Trucks’ plan on technology transfer, saying, “Currently, only 20% parts used in the FH models’ are manufactured locally ... We have reached an agreement to increase the share to 30% next year.” The SAIPA subsidiary’s chief further said that his company is planning to become the regional hub for Volvo commercial vehicles and sell to regional markets along with Central Asia and North Africa. Note: Iranian truckmaker SAIPA is the distributor for both Volvo brand trucks and Dongfeng-Volvo joint venture trucks. Dongfeng is wholly-owned by the Chinese central government and run by the communist party. .

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Owner-Driver / October 31, 2017 Different issue triggers second recall of Mack trucks in Australia in less than a week A recall has been issued for 7,668 Metro-Liner, Trident, Titan, Granite and Super-Liner Mack trucks in Australia. The notice affects trucks sold beween December 31, 2006 and October 17, 2016. A notice on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) website states: "The driver is not alerted to low air pressure in the braking system because the air system warning is set too low." "This may result in reduced braking, posing an accident risk to the driver and other road users." Owners are advised to contact an authorised Volvo Group Australia dealership to arrange an inspection and repair of the vehicle. The full list of affected vehicles can be found here. This is a second recall affecting Mack trucks in less than a week, with up to 463 trucks recalled for a different issue late last week.

Owner-Driver / October 30, 2017 Certain trucks from the Metro-Liner, Granite, Trident, Titan and Super-Liner ranges called back A recall has been issued for a total of 463 Mack trucks sold between April 24, 2016 and March 9, 2017. The callback affects vehicles from the Metro-Liner, Granite, Trident, Titan and Super-Liner truck range. A notice on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) states: "The front brake mounting hardware may have been under torqued and the incorrect torque tool used during manufacture." "The mounting hardware could become loose, reducing braking ability and posing an accident risk to the driver and other road users." Owners are advised to contact their nearest authorised Volvo Group Australia dealership to arrange an inspection and repair of the vehicle. The full list of affected vehicles can be found here.

Owner-Driver / November 3, 2017 Starting from age 18, Western Australian owner-driver Jack Humphrey moved through the licence grades where he is now operating a 2007 Mack Titan Australia-wide. Peter and Di Schlenk write Owner//Driver caught up with Jack Humphrey at the BP Archerfield in Brisbane as he was waiting for a load home to Western Australia. Instead of sitting around, Jack was passing the time polishing his rig. "I was lucky as the old man set us up," Jack recalls of his beginnings in the industry. It’s a slightly bitter sweet story for Jack, but with a happy ending. From a young age he was keen to follow his father and get behind the wheel, but with Jack aged 18, getting the appropriate licence proved to be an obstacle. It was only when Jack’s father was diagnosed with cancer that the opportunity came to become a professional driver. "Dad, Grant Humphrey, has driven for 40 years and as a young man I always wanted to drive trucks," Jack explains. "My old man got crook with prostate cancer and wrote a letter to the transport department in WA. They granted me a special conditions licence, an HR, to help us get through on the family farm." The family farm is at York, 100km east of Perth, and Grant had taken over the farm from his father, Peter. However, it was critical for Jack to be able to drive to keep the farm operational while Grant recovered. "He got well again and is at home working the farm. "I had my HR for 12 months and when I turned 19, I phoned a driving school in WA and got my MC licence." That was six years ago and Jack says he’s enjoying life and living the dream. "I have always liked Mack trucks and the old man has always had Macks. He still has one at home, a 1997 Mack Titan with an E9 610 V8 in it. That one is very sweet." Jack’s Titan is a 2007 model rated at 120 tonne with a Cummins Gen 2, rated at 620hp under the bonnet. It has a Mack 18 speed ’box and B55170 diffs riding on Neway air bag suspension. Originally bought and owned by John Foggo, it was driven by Mick Wilson from brand new until that business went under. The truck was repossessed and the Humphreys bought it out of Wagga Wagga. "I won’t break it in a hurry," Jack exclaims. "It’s heavy duty and with its long wheel base, I get a good ride. "There is plenty of room in the cab although I wouldn’t mind putting a bigger bunk in. "I haven’t got a TV but I’ve got a microwave and freezer so you can pretty well live by yourself." Jack’s fiancée Hannah freezes his meals and he takes them on the road and microwaves them when required. "It saves a bit of money and you know the food is good and nutritious," Jack says. He adds that Hannah used to travel with him occasionally but she is now committed to a full time job back home. "I think I would give her the shits if I stayed home too long," Jack smiles. On the road When there is work to do on the farm Jack runs around home doing harvest and some stock work, even a bit of general. But he says he loves being on the road. "The old Mack keeps me out of mischief and I get to have a look around Australia. "I couldn’t think of a better job really where you get paid to do what you love." Jack knows only too well how fortunate he was to start his career at 19, but believes he would still have wanted to drive because this is what he has always wanted to do. "Unfortunately it’s a dying era, especially for young fellows in trucks. Then the family comes along and they get married, have kids and want to stay at home. "They have made it hard for the keen young fellows at 18 or 19, for a young bloke that wants to drive trucks. By the time they go through getting their licence and becoming old enough and experienced enough for someone to take them on, they have an alternative job or another career path by the time they actually get into it." The WA way Jack is a big fan of the WA logbook system and believes that the way the books are set up over the border doesn’t look after the driver at all. "My honest opinion is that it is just about the money; all about the fines and that. "I nearly went an hour over the other day and would have received a hefty fine. I hadn’t broken my 12 hour limit, just managed to run over by a half hour in a 24 hour period. There should be some flexibility. "At the end of the day we are only out here trying to do our job," Jack says. "There are cowboys who try and wreck it for everyone else but 95 percent of us are trying to do a job. It’s not like we are out here trying to be a hero." The other glaring difference between the east and the west coast of Australia are the roads. "They are absolutely rooted! The roads over here are some of the worst roads I have ever driven on. I drive on better dirt roads back home than some of the sealed roads in Queensland. "We are very fortunate in WA because the infrastructure is very good. Even our back roads are better than some of the major highways here." Jack is pleased to see more routes opened up to road trains but believes that the roads are no better than years ago. "I came over the other day between Surat and Blue Gums and I was back to 65km/h because I couldn’t keep the thing on the road. "I felt like I had been riding a horse all day by the time I pulled up." Meanwhile, Jack went back to polishing his rig, but not before putting the feelers out to get a couple of loads back to Perth. .

Owner-Driver / November 3, 2017 Being a diesel mechanic and specialising in heavy vehicle recovery has helped Stuart Klints easily find work on both the east and west coasts of Australia. Peter and Di Schlenk write Think towing in south-east Queensland and you naturally think Barnes Towing. After all, they have been providing a service to Brisbane companies since 1903. Today the company has 26 various trucks on the road operating out of five depots. Barnes lays claim to being the largest dedicated heavy recovery operator in the Southern Hemisphere. Stuart Klints drives a 2014 Kenworth T409 8x4 for Barnes. The last time Owner//Driver caught up with Stuart it was during the Lights on the Hill convoy a few years ago. Back then he was behind the wheel of a Scania. "I loved that Scania but two years ago my partner Yvette and I decided on a change and we moved to Perth where I worked for Swan Heavy Towing," Stuart says. Stuart and Yvette returned to Brisbane this year, although he’s no stranger to Western Australia. He’d previously worked for Mitchells as a qualified mechanic, but was drawn back to Queensland by the weather and to be closer to his family. Stuart was born in Brisbane where he lived for 13 years before the family moved to the Gold Coast. After leaving high school, he did an apprenticeship working on coaches and then went straight into heavy recovery. "I had always liked trucks and Rodney [Hill] at Knight’s Heavy Towing gave me a foot in the door. "There is an advantage to being a diesel mechanic and a tow truck driver at the same time, just the knowledge of how things worked and how things go around," Stuart adds. Back when Stuart began with Knight’s, he was driving a rig with all the old chain gear. That first tow truck was a 1976 Kenworth SAR with an 8V92 Detroit Diesel and a 20-speed Spicer ’box. "It was a screamer. It had a beautiful cab and sitting up there so high, I definitely thought I was king of the road," he exclaims. Kenworth to Scania After the SAR, Stuart spent a short time in a W model before getting into a Kenworth T650. The W had the first under-lift that Stuart had ever used and he’s operated them ever since. Stuart then started with Barnes in another T650 which progressed to a brand new Century Class Freightliner and then came the Scania. "I was a Kenworth fan for years and years, especially as a young bloke and the SAR and T650 had it all. "When Barnes was looking at buying a second 8x4 Scania to be based on the north side of Brisbane, they asked me what I thought of the Scania. I replied ‘no way’! "Anyway I ended up taking the Scania for a drive to see what I thought of it. I did that and returned with a smile from ear to ear. "I told [owner] John Dent that he had better get me one of those Scania things," Stuart laughs. "It was just so quiet, comfortable and easy to drive." Stuart rates its off-road abilities as one of its best assets. The Scania had full airbag suspension; front and rear. "With the variety of our work, you have to go onto properties or off road to certain jobs," he continues. "Just recently I had a job that surprised me. A private bloke rang and said his bobcat was in a sinkhole on his property. It was literally in a sink hole. He had been trying for two days to get it out. "There was hard ground all over his property except for this sink hole that was twice the size of the bobcat. "It was hard to access because of the size of the truck and the domestic driveway. It was a bit of a project but we got it out and he was tickled pink." Stuart runs out of the Gold Coast depot where two under-lift recovery trucks are based, in addition to a tilt tray and semi tilt tray. "Some days you could be a bag chucker all day. You do one job in this and then you jump in the semi-trailer and then the tilt tray. On other days you will just be in this all day," he explains. Heavy recovery The Barnes’ T409 8x4 is fitted with an Ekebol under-lift. "Barnes run a full Ekebol fleet as they are Australian built and engineered and will do the job. "You can’t beat the Ekebol stuff and it is manufactured locally at Buderim on the SunshineCoast. "It’s great for Barnes to be able to buy all of the various pieces of machinery from one shop." The under-lift on Stuart’s 409 is a TS20v2 model and rated at 100 tonnes, which means he can hook onto 100 tonne no problem. "This little Kenworth is a good truck and having a bonnet out front helps," he smiles. "In the heavy towing side of things, the more weight you’ve got out front of your truck the better. "When picking up vehicles with the under-lift, it keeps your weight up at the front and it gives you the advantage of being safer and more stable." With five depots in and around Brisbane, Stuart says Barnes provides great coverage and top service. "As a company, we will go literally anywhere but here on the Gold Coast I try to be kept around the local area to provide that local service," he explains. "If something is over the border that is going back to Brisbane they will run a Brisbane truck, whereas the Toowoomba trucks will go way out west to recover a vehicle." While the traffic can be very intense running around the Gold Coast all day, Stuart doesn’t get too stressed. "A lot of people can’t handle it but I just go with it. If it’s moving, it’s moving. If it has stopped, it’s stopped. "At the end of the day, the sun goes down and the traffic thins out and you get there in the end." Previously, Stuart and Yvette operated a couple of shops on the north side of Brisbane. One was a carvery and the other a convenience store. Handling both proved too difficult so after two and a half years with the carvery, it was sold. This allowed them to concentrate solely on the convenience store. "When we sold the store, the money we made was put towards a motor home; a 40ft Greyhound Denning coach. It pulls a 20ft trailer. "The idea was to go west and then when we had had enough, we came home. "So now we have a home on wheels so we can became grey nomads," he smiles. Stuart has been a heavy vehicle recovery operator for over 23 years now and still loves it. "I’ve been with Barnes for 16 years in total over the two stints, and I love good looking gear. "Barnes have top equipment and they allow me to take it to truck shows so I couldn’t happier." .

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Isuzu Trucks Australia / October 30, 2017 Isuzu showcased its range of firefighting trucks and engines at this year's Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authority Council (AFAC) conference in Sydney. .

trucktvaustralia / October 23, 2017 We take the Iveco Eurocargo and Daily 4x4 to sample the out-est of outback conditions. .

trucktvaustralia / October 11, 2017 Victorian-based earthmoving transport company Eastern Plant Hire has refreshed Its ‘Ambassador’ program as an innovative strategy to address a shortage of quality drivers needed to sustain its rapid growth fueled by the national infrastructure investment boom. .

trucktvaustralia / October 11, 2017 The new trucks provide Benz with more opportunity and more success than ever before in Australia. .

So long as you calculate all the factors and get your startability right with the appropriate rear axle ratio, you'll never be underpowered. Top speed will be reduced, but it will certainly go fast enough for the infrequent interstate run. I'd rather have a Cummins ISB, but apparently Ford was the low bidder.

Why don't you call the good folks at Watt's Mack (1-888-304-6225) and ask for a 62QS179P2. The 62QS179 is non-locking (but no longer available) , and the P2 version is locking (with a key).

House tax reform plan would kill $7,500 EV credit, phase out estate tax Bloomberg / November 2, 2017 WASHINGTON -- Tesla, General Motors and other major carmakers pushing to boost U.S. electric car sales were dealt a blow by House Republicans who on Thursday proposed eliminating a $7,500 per vehicle tax credit that has helped stoke early demand for the still small segment of the U.S. auto market. If adopted, the repeal would take effect after the 2017 tax year, according to a summary of the bill released Thursday by the House Ways and Means Committee as part of a sweeping overhaul of the U.S. tax code that would eliminate some deductions and cut the corporate tax rate to 20 percent. The Senate is crafting its own version. Automakers from Detroit to Yokohama are betting big on an electric future with plans to spend billions of dollars on new pure-electric models to be rolled out in the coming years despite limited sales to date. Availability of the credit has been capped at the first 200,000 qualifying vehicles sold by each manufacturer. No automaker has reached that cap yet. “That will stop any electric vehicle market in the U.S., apart from sales of the highly expensive Tesla Model S,” said Xavier Mosquet, senior partner at consultant Boston Consulting Group, who authored a study on the growth of battery powered vehicles. “There’s no Tesla 3, no Bolt, no Leaf in a market without incentives.” Phasing out estate tax Separately, the proposed overhaul also calls for phasing out the estate tax -- a 40 percent levy applied to estates worth more than $5.49 million dollars for individuals or $10.98 million dollars for couples. Repealing it has been a priority for the nation’s car dealers. The National Automobile Dealers Association has argued that the tax hurts dealerships, which cannot easily liquidate assets to pay the tax. The NADA also contends a tax liability makes it less likely a business will be passed on to the next generation. Tesla trouble A premature end to the EV credit could have outsized impact for Tesla, which is striving to scale up production of its least expensive electric car, the $35,000 Model 3 sedan. The company has said it has hundreds of thousands of would-be buyers holding reservations for the vehicle. Tesla shares extended declines after Bloomberg reported on the proposed elimination, plunging as much as 8.9 percent to $292.63, the lowest intraday since May 4, before rebounding back to $299.26 a share. The company declined to comment on the GOP proposal. Eliminating the credit will also impact other carmakers offering electric vehicles such as GM and Nissan Motor Co., which according to the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, collectively offer more than 30 EVs in the U.S. market. Carmakers are under pressure to sell vehicles in higher volumes each year under an electric car sales mandate administered by regulators in California. Ten other states also follow that policy. That puts the auto industry "in the middle between contradictory government policies," Alliance spokeswoman Gloria Bergquist said in a statement. "There is no question that the elimination of the federal electric vehicle tax credit will impact the choices of prospective buyers and make the electric vehicle mandate in 10 states -- about a third of the market -- even more difficult to meet,"said Bergquist, whose trade association represents a dozen automakers including GM, Ford Motor Co. and Volkswagen AG. GM vowed to fight, saying the credits are "an important customer benefit that can help accelerate the acceptance of electric vehicles." Ford didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Nissan declined to comment. "We are extremely disappointed in H.R. 1’s proposed repeal of the incentive for plug-in electric drive vehicles," Genevieve Cullen, president of the Electric Drive Transportation Association, said in a statement. "Congress should maintain the plug-in electric drive tax credit, which is promoting industry investment and creating jobs in the U.S., while helping consumers save on energy costs and enhancing public health." EV sales held back EV sales have been held back by a lack of variety of electric models, high sticker prices fueled by expensive battery packs and limited driving ranges compared to gasoline-fueled vehicles. Yet automakers expect those challenges to ease in the coming years. "The EV tax credit repeal would cede U.S. leadership in clean vehicles, putting our companies at a competitive disadvantage and threatening jobs while costing drivers more at the pump and increasing pollution," Luke Tonachel, director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Clean Vehicles and Fuels Project, said in a statement. Former President Barack Obama repeatedly proposed hiking the tax credit for electric vehicles to $10,000 and converting it to a point-of-sale rebate, but Congress failed to approve the measure.

House Republicans unveil tax reform plan The Guardian / November 2, 2017 House Republicans put out long-awaited legislation that would slash the corporate tax rate and repeal inheritance taxes of multimillion-dollar estates Donald Trump’s push for deep tax cuts reached a milestone on Thursday as his fellow Republicans in the House of Representatives unveiled a long-awaited plan which would benefit corporations and the wealthy but is less generous to the middle class. The legislation would permanently lower the corporate tax rate to 20% from 35% and repeals the inheritance tax on multimillion-dollar estates in what would be the most sweeping change to the United States tax code in three decades. It also would reduce the number of tax brackets from seven to four and nearly double the standard deduction that most Americans take on their tax returns to $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for couples. Although the Republicans had long described their effort as a push for “tax reform”, the bill entitled “the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” was presented explicitly as a tax cut on Thursday. The GOP speaker, Paul Ryan, hailed the plan as a “very important and special moment” for the country and claimed that it would reduce taxes for a family of four that makes $59,000 a year by $1,182, while fellow Republicans such as the majority whip, Steve Scalise, boasted that it would allow Americans to fill out their taxes on a postcard. The White House put out a statement praising the legislation as providing “the rocket fuel our economy needs to soar higher than ever before”. Trump later said the legislation was “a big, beautiful Christmas present in the form of a tremendous tax cut” while speaking to reporters. The sweeping tax cuts, long a priority of the Trump administration and congressional Republicans, faces major obstacles to passage as Democrats are almost uniformly skeptical of the plan and a number of Republicans have concerns. Among the biggest red flags within the GOP are a provision to cap the deduction for state and local income taxes, which has faced skepticism from Republicans who represent high-tax states such as New York and New Jersey and the plan’s addition of $1.5tn to the national debt, which may raise the ire of deficit hawks. The bill would eliminate the tax deduction for state taxes and leave only a limited deduction for up to $10,000 in local property taxes. The legislation is expected to face fierce opposition from realtors and the homebuilding industry as well over a provision to cap the deduction for mortgage interest on newly purchased homes at $500,000. It also has already sparked opposition from the National Federation for Independent Business, a small business lobby. The group expressed concern that the corporate tax cuts on small businesses that pay taxes on pass-throughs via their owner’s individual tax returns were insufficient. Democrats vowed to rally opposition to the tax bill using a similar approach to the one used to help stop a Republican healthcare plan, which fell one vote short in the Senate amid widespread resistance among the public. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi panned the tax proposal a “shell game” and a “Ponzi scheme” and said the plan was analogous to a banquet for the wealthiest Americans, who tossed crumbs to middle-class families while they feasted. According to a summary obtained by news organizations, the long-awaited tax plan would: Limit the widely used deduction for mortgage interest for newly purchased homes at up to $500,000, a sharp reduction from the current $1m cap. Limit the deductibility of local property taxes to $10,000. Eliminate the deduction for state income taxes. Nearly double the standard deduction used by most Americans to $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for families. Slash the corporate tax rate from 35% to 20%. Repeal the inheritance taxes on multimillion-dollar estates. Increase the child tax credit from $1,000 to $1,600, though the $4,050 per child exemption would be repealed. Shrink the number of tax brackets from seven to four, with respective tax rates of 12%, 25%, 35% and 39.6%. Preserve a popular retirement account for middle-class Americans by leaving intact existing rules on 401(k) retirement accounts and the ability of Americans to contribute up to $18,000 into the accounts tax-free. GOP leaders briefed rank-and-file lawmakers on the proposal on Thursday morning ahead of a formal rollout and a show of unity event at the White House with Donald Trump. A major revamp of the tax code, the first in three decades, is a top legislative and political priority of Republicans. But curtailing the state and local income tax deduction is sure to face opposition from Republicans in high-tax states. “I view the elimination of the deduction as a geographic redistribution of wealth, picking winners and losers,” said Representative Lee Zeldin of New York. “I don’t want my home state to be a loser, and that really shouldn’t come as any surprise.” The New York Republican later came out against the bill. The legislation is a longstanding goal for Capitol Hill Republicans who see a once-in-a-generation opportunity to clean up an inefficient, loophole-cluttered tax code. The influential conservative representative Mark Meadows dismissed proposed retirement changes as a “non-starter”, adding “that’s what most of middle-income America uses as their nest egg”. The plan calls for nearly doubling the standard deduction used by most average Americans to $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for families, and increasing the per-child tax credit. On net, it could mean tax increases for many upper-middle-income families. Slashing the corporate tax rate from 35% to 20% was a key demand of Trump’s. Repealing the inheritance taxes on multi-million dollar estates would also represent a big break for the wealthy. Republicans and Trump argue that sharply cutting tax rates for businesses improves US economic competitiveness, but the possibility of letting the lower corporate rates expire is rankling some longtime advocates who say the uncertainty could limit its boost to the economy. The ambitious timetable calls for passing the complex measure in the House by Thanksgiving and House Republicans have already announced a markup hearing for the bill on Monday.

GOP tax plan would shrink mortgage interest benefit, slash corporate tax rate The Washington Post / November 2, 2017 House Republicans on Thursday proposed the biggest overhaul of the U.S. tax code in three decades, a plan that would sharply cut tax rates for corporations and individuals while eliminating many popular deductions that Americans have long enjoyed. At its core, the legislation would deliver the kind of tax relief to companies — $1 trillion over 10 years — that Republicans say will spark economic growth and encourage businesses to create more jobs and invest heavily in the United States. Far less clear is the bill’s impact on middle- and working-class households. The trade-off between reducing tax rates but curtailing deductions — such as the amount homeowners can take off their mortgage interest payments — means the impact will vary widely from one family to another. Many Americans who need to take out big loans to buy homes in expensive areas, such as New York, Boston and San Francisco, could see their taxes go up. The Washington region would be a prime example of the trade-offs. High salaries here at lower tax rates would deliver savings off Internal Revenue Service bills. But high home prices mean home buyers take out big loans. The D.C. region is home to six of the 10 counties where residents take the highest average mortgage deduction. The GOP bill would also scale back the amount Americans can deduct from their federal bill because of taxes paid to state and local governments. That could punish those who live in states with high income taxes — states generally are governed by Democrats. The uneven effects of the legislation — and the possibility that some middle-class Americans could see their tax bills rise — promise to complicate the Republican effort to unify behind the bill. Several powerful lobbying organizations, some long aligned with the GOP, vowed Thursday to fight the proposal. But for Republicans, the tax push represents possibly their last opportunity to pass a major piece of legislation before campaign season begins for next November’s elections, when their majorities in the House and Senate will be challenged. President Trump has put changing the tax code at the center of his domestic agenda, and the party holds enough seats in the House and Senate to pass the bill into law without support from a single Democratic lawmaker. But to succeed, GOP lawmakers will have to avoid the internal divisions that have undermined other major legislative efforts, including multiple failed attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The bill, unveiled by GOP leaders Thursday morning, would slash the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent, the most significant in a series of benefits the bill contains for businesses. In addition to the $1 trillion in total tax cuts over 10 years for businesses, the proposal would mean $300 billion in tax cuts for households and families, as well as $200 billion in tax cuts — almost all of which will accrue among the wealthiest families — by repealing the estate tax, according to estimates from the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. The legislation is the result of months of negotiation among Trump administration officials and many Republican lawmakers, discussions that continued right up to the hours before the bill’s release. On Wednesday evening, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Tex.) suggested the party might wobble on Trump’s promise to permanently cut the business tax rate, instead having the rate expire after eight years as part of an effort to facilitate the bill’s passage in the Senate. But in a late change, Republicans extended the cut in the business tax rate, in part by scaling back the scope of a new “Family Flexibility Credit” for parents and non-child dependents that the bill would create, said several people involved in the discussions who were not authorized to discuss them publicly. In the version of the bill introduced Thursday, the credit would be worth $300 annually and would be eliminated in five years. For individuals and families, income-tax rates would go down. Presently, families have to pay a tax rate of 39.6 percent on income above $470,700. The House Republican bill would apply that tax rate only to income above $1 million for families. Rates further down the income spectrum would be cut as well. “It’s an awesome tax cut,” said Rep. Bill Flores (R-Tex.). “I mean, it rebuilds working-class America — great for jobs, great for the economy. It’s going to be huge.” The bill would seek to balance revenue lost to the rate cuts, however, by scrapping numerous tax breaks, some of which are used by tens of millions of Americans and have large-scale support. The change to the mortgage interest deduction drew immediate attention Thursday. Under current tax law, Americans can deduct interest payments made on their first $1 million worth of home loans. The bill would allow existing mortgages to keep the current rules, but for new mortgages, home buyers would be able to deduct interest payments made only on their first $500,000 worth of loans. The proposal to scale back allowing Americans to deduct state and local tax payments from their federal bill was particularly contentious during negotiations. Republicans initially proposed eliminating that deduction entirely, but after a revolt from GOP lawmakers from New York, New Jersey and other high-tax states, the bill introduced Thursday contained a compromise. The bill would allow people to deduct their local property taxes from their taxable income, but only up to the first $10,000. Americans would no longer be able to deduct their medical expenses or property and casualty losses, according to a document outlining the plan. Tax credits for electric cars would be eliminated. Americans would no longer be able to deduct moving expenses or alimony payments. Large college endowments would pay taxes on their income in a way that treats them more like private foundations. Some deductions would be expanded. The bill would nearly double the standard deduction that many Americans claim on their taxes, raising it from $12,700 to $24,000 per family. But this benefit would be partially offset by the elimination of the personal exemption many Americans can claim, which can be large for families with multiple children. The bill would also increase the child tax credit from $1,000 per child to $1,600. That credit would phase out once a family earns more than $230,000 a year, more than double the current $110,000 threshold. The bill would add up to $1.5 trillion over 10 years to the national deficit, a move that contrasts with Republicans’ efforts under President Barack Obama to block legislation that could have expanded the deficit. With legislation introduced, the GOP tax effort moves into a new and perilous phase, with party leaders working to unify their caucus behind the measure while individual lawmakers seek changes that match their ideologies or the preferences of their constituents and donors — all while Democrats pound the measure and attempt to rally the public against it. Party leaders are setting an ambitious timeline, with the House and Senate hoping to pass legislation before Thanksgiving. A Senate bill has not yet been introduced. The GOP effort will also be tested by what House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) warned would be an “army of lobbyists” that would push Congress to make changes on behalf of their client industries and interest groups. At least one major industry group, the National Association of Home Builders, announced days before the bill was released that the group would not support it, and others joined the attack within minutes of the measure’s unveiling. The National Federation of Independent Businesses said it was also not backing the effort, saying the legislation “leaves too many small businesses behind.” Other business groups lauded the bill and are expected to try to help it win passage. “In terms of a legislative text that addresses the core issues that must be addressed if we are going to grow our economy faster and raise wages for families, this is a home run,” said Neil Bradley, chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Among lobbying groups, the change to the mortgage interest deduction has proved particularly contentious. Some budget experts have said this change is necessary because otherwise the tax code essentially subsidizes the purchase of large homes in the wealthiest parts of the country. But housing groups have long fought off such a change, as the median home price in numerous parts of the country can be very high. Jerry Howard, chief executive of the National Association of Home Builders, said his group would fight the bill “tooth and nail,” claiming that it could lead to a decline in home prices and a housing recession. “This now is a direct assault on the American dream of homeownership,” he said in an interview. Republicans said these changes are necessary to allow them to lower tax rates for all taxpayers. But many Democrats signaled opposition, vowing to fight its passage even while in the political minority. “This bill is like a dead fish,” said Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.). “The more it’s in sunlight, the more it stinks, and that’s what’s going to happen.” The bill would not make changes to popular retirement plans such as 401(k)s, though. It also would not attempt to repeal provisions of the Affordable Care Act, though Republicans have said they might try to change the bill later for these purposes. The legislative fight over the tax bill has become the Trump administration’s biggest political goal after failed attempts to repeal the ACA. Trump wants the legislation to pass the House and the Senate by the end of the year, though they must resolve numerous differences. Other changes in the bill would be far-reaching. It would, for example, make changes to college savings programs and have new requirements for tax-exempt organizations such as churches and charities. Republican supporters of the measure said Americans will see a number of changes if the tax plan is signed into law, but they argued that the final result would be a major tax cut. “They’re interested in tax relief,” said Rep. Peter J. Roskam (R-Ill.). “They’re not particularly interested in the formula by which that relief gets to them.”

Next-gen Ram 1500 interior sports more tech Automotive News / October 31, 2017 DETROIT — The next-generation Ram 1500 will get a major tech upgrade when it debuts in January, including a huge touch-screen infotainment system and a power tailgate that can be activated using the key fob, new spy shots reveal. The 2019 Ram 1500, codenamed "DT," is to be shown for the first time at the Detroit auto show in January and is scheduled to go into production the same month in suburban Detroit. The retooled pickup's exterior styling was captured by spy photographers earlier in October after a windstorm blew off its protective cover. Now the new 1500's interior has been caught fully exposed. The photos show a large, vertically oriented infotainment screen that looks to rival the 17-inch screen in the Tesla Model S, and would host both the pickup's infotainment system and climate controls. As the automaker has done with its previous versions of Uconnect, the new Ram will keep redundant analog controls for its systems, along with those integrated into the touch screen, the spy shots show. It is unclear which trim level of the 2019 Ram 1500 appears in the photographs, but they show added safety features as well, including park assist, lane-keep assist and a built-in trailer brake. The pickup's air suspension system — which can raise and lower the truck's height to improve ingress and egress, will be carried over — the shots show. A photograph of the pickup's key fob also reveals a new power tailgate button, but it's unclear whether the tailgate can be activated to both open and close. The shots also reveal a redesigned console with improved storage space. The next-generation DT Ram 1500 should be in U.S. dealerships in spring 2018, and will be sold alongside the current generation DS Ram 1500 for at least a year while production of the newer version ramps up, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne said last week. Photo gallery - http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=CA&Date=20171016&Category=PHOTOS01&ArtNo=101609996&Ref=PH .

Beijing is like Los Angeles (except it has more good Chinese restaurants). The mountains block the wind from blowing it out. Nice city in a terrible location. and that was almost 10 years ago. Not the same country. Look out over any city from a high-rise and you'll see major skyline changes by the day.

Bob, I like the idea of an affordable piece of fire apparatus. You know it's geared low (high numerically). I think it will work fine.

I have no problem with a government-owned rail system if it is managed well. AMTRAK never has been. Labor's not cheap there anymore. Those are the old days. They have unions (ACFTU), but they don't hinder. They have more social programs than the US. They have an EPA....The Ministry of Environmental Protection And speaking on renewable energy spending, they want from 64 gigawatts in 2011 to 287 in 2016.

Let me get this straight. If you've been a radio talk show host, run for office (unsuccessfully) and have degrees in political science and public administration, that equates to being an expert in agriculture and science. And, he said this all with a straight face (that alone confirms he's politician material).

Sam Clovis, Trump’s nominee for USDA’s top scientist, confirms he has no hard science credentials Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post / November 2, 2017 The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientist nominee, Sam Clovis, who now serves as the agency’s senior White House adviser, confirmed in an Oct. 17 letter obtained by The Washington Post that he has no academic credentials in either science or agriculture. But the former Iowa talk radio host and political science professor contended in the letter to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee’s top Democrat, Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), that his time teaching and running for political office in the Hawkeye State steeped him in the field of agriculture. The post for which President Trump has nominated his campaign co-chair — USDA undersecretary for research, education and economics — has traditionally been held by individuals with advanced degrees in science or medicine. The 2008 farm bill specifies that appointees to the position should be chosen “from among distinguished scientists with specialized training or significant experience in agricultural research, education, and economics,” given that the official is “responsible for the coordination of the research, education, and extension activities of the Department.” Clovis, who possesses a bachelor’s degree in political science, an MBA degree and a doctorate in public administration, repeatedly acknowledged his lack of background in the hard sciences when responding to Stabenow. “Please list all graduate level courses you have taken in natural science,” the second of 10 questions requested. “None,” Clovis replied. “Please list all membership and leadership roles you have held within any agricultural scientific, agricultural education, or agricultural economic organizations,” the third question read. “None,” Clovis replied. “Please describe any awards, designations, or academic recognition you have received specifically related to agricultural science,” the fourth question read. “None,” Clovis replied. Then came the fifth question, which asked, “What specialized training or significant experience, including certifications, do you have in agricultural research?” He answered: “I bring 17 years of agriculture experience integrated into both undergraduate- and graduate-level courses throughout my teaching career as reflected in my curriculum vitae as well as the Committee’s questionnaire.” And having twice run for statewide office, he added that “one cannot be a credible candidate in that state without significant agricultural experience and knowledge.” Clovis, who has said the consensus scientific view that human-generated greenhouse gas emissions have driven recent climate change is “not proven,” has published and taught extensively about homeland security and foreign policy. He lists 17 examples of publications and scholarly activity on those two topics since 1992 on his CV, along with six teaching stints that cover those issues along with business administration. None of those scholarly activities mentions the word “agriculture,” though he identifies “economic impact on agriculture of environmental and conservation public policy programs” among his research interests. He also lists agriculture and rural public policy as a topic on the conservative radio show he hosted from 2010 to 2013 and as one of his areas of interest as Trump’s campaign co-chair. The USDA press office did not respond Wednesday to repeated requests for comment about the nominee’s agricultural experience. Clovis is tentatively slated to have a hearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee on Nov. 9. His confirmation hearing is likely to focus not only on controversial statements he has made in the past, including the suggestion that protecting gay rights could prompt the legalization of pedophilia, but on the revelation this week that he was one of the top officials on the Trump campaign who was aware of efforts by foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos to broker a relationship between the campaign and Russian officials. Asked about the letter, Stabenow said in a statement that Clovis’s answers show why the Senate should not confirm him as USDA’s chief scientist. “It’s clear from his own words that Sam Clovis does not meet the basic qualifications required for the job,” Stabenow said. “This fact alone should disqualify him, not to mention his long history of politically charged comments and the recent questions surrounding his time as co-chair of the Trump campaign.” .

That's the address of the Empire State Building. C'mon Bob, that was on a test last year. The headquarters for Mack moved from the Empire State Building to Plainfield, New Jersey in 1955. Mack had a massive presence in New York, but at one time was a much larger corporate citizen of New Jersey than Pennsylvania. John's good people. He produced some one-off books for me. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mack Plants – New York City, New York The purchase of the Hewitt Motor Company in 1912 by the International Motor Company (the holding company of Mack Brothers Motor Car Company) resulted in the acquisition of Hewitt’s large plant located at West End Avenue and 64th Street in Manhattan. Hewitt trucks and Arco radiators (a subsidiary of the International Motor Company) were produced there, as well as Alco truck spare parts under contract for the American Locomotive Company (which had discontinued truck production in 1913) In 1913, the facility was enlarged to 200,000 square feet, with a garage capacity of 350 trucks, to serve as a factory service center. By 1914, both the corporate headquarters of the International Motor Company and Mack R&D center were located within the massive complex. The facility also acted as a parts distribution center (PDC) until 1920, with the opening of the New Brunswick, New Jersey, PDC. By the early 1930s, the factory service center had fully shifted to Mack’s massive Long Island City location, and the company’s corporate headquarters had moved downtown to the Cunard Building on lower Broadway (before relocating to the Long Island City plant in 1936, the Empire State Building in 1943, Plainfield, New Jersey in 1955, Montvale, New Jersey in 1964 and Allentown, Pennsylvania in 1965). Note: Legendary Mack chief engineer and vice president Alfred Fellows Masury was one of the founders of the Hewitt Motor Company https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/34219-mack-trucks-the-facilities/?tab=comments#comment-226402