kscarbel2

Update: It turns out that Hillary isn't sorry after all for throwing U.S. State Dept. policy to the curb and keeping classfied information on her personal server at home. She's only sorry for creating "confusion". Yesterday she elaborated "I am sorry for all the confusion that has ensued". http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/video/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-emails-33641286

The Australian truck operating requirement is unforgiving, nothing at all like the US. And furthermore, we're talking Australian long-haul versus US market vocational. If you've never been, you owe it to yourself to get down to Oz and NZ for a time. http://www.cattrucks.com.au/ http://www.cat.com/en_US/products/new/by-industry/on-highway-truck.html

Please realize that the CAT long-haul trucks product sold in Australia are night and day different from the US market CAT vocational trucks.

With the passing of both time and people, our trucking history can very easily disappear. Like you, I have a natural passion for America's truck industry. It's an indescribable pleasure for me to revive some of the history, before it's lost, and present it once more in the present. I'm confident there are younger generations of people with interest, and older generations who take pleasure in refreshing their memory.

MAN Press Release / September 8, 2015 MAN Truck & Bus has begun the construction of a € 80 million (US$89.3 million) new cab paint shop at its main truck assembly location in Munich, Germany. A new modern and efficient base coat line will be built adjacent to the current paint building with a total floor area of approximately 18,000 m² over five main levels. The new base coat line will begin operations at the end of 2017. The investment is part of the future programme of MAN Truck & Bus AG. The highly efficient painting process in the new facility consists of pretreatment, cathodic dip coating by rotation, seam sealing and filler application. The rotation process in the dip painting enables a significant reduction in the use of consumables and chemicals through the application of the latest systems engineering. In addition, very effective cleaning means that the level of particulates in the exhaust air is reduced by 90 percent and water consumption is cut by 80 percent. Furthermore, the use of innovative and resource-saving technologies enables MAN to reduce emissions in the processes concerned by half, to lower paint use by 15 percent and to cut energy consumption by 25 percent. “The investment in the new paint shop represents a key milestone for the Munich site. The new facility will allow us to significantly increase efficiency in the cab paint shop and also achieve further improvements in paint quality. The new systems are equipped with the latest environmental technologies and are thus another significant contribution towards our strategic objective of a “Green Factory”. Overall, the new system allows us to create an essential and sustainable basis from which we can create innovative processes and attain low environmental impact and maximum efficiency for both current and future premium truck generations”, Dr. Carsten Intra, Executive Board Member for Production & Logistics at MAN Truck & Bus AG pointed out. Saki Stimoniaris, Chairman of the works council, also highlighted the importance for the future of the Munich site: “The investment in the paint shop plays an integral part in our securing of both the site and employment. This means we are securing jobs in our cab production of which the paint shop is a part, and much more besides.” .

Scania Press Release / September 8, 2015 Alone at night, a Scania distribution trucks makes deliveries to downtown Stockholm restaurants and hotels. In a pilot project, the City of Stockholm wishes to determine the advantages of night time deliveries, avoiding peak hour traffic, queues and delays. The project, which is part financed by VINNOVA, Sweden’s innovation agency, will examine the feasibility of lifting the ban on inner-city truck traffic presently in force between 22.00 and 06.00. The project will particularly focus on noise levels and the working environment for drivers.

Al Qaeda-linked ISIS executes three truckers (ISIS produced this propaganda fear video in 2013) This video shows the execution style murder of three Syrian truck drivers who did nothing more than belong to a minority faith the local Al Qaeda affiliate does not like. In the video, a small band of Islamist radicals with the Al Qaeda-linked ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) group is seen waving the tractor trailers off the side of an Iraqi road and then proceeds to interrogate the unsuspecting drivers about their prayer habits, trying to discover if they are Sunnis or members of the Alawite minority in Syria. The men first claim to be Sunni Muslims, and the gunman asks them various questions relating to Sunni religious practice. They are unable to answer the questions and in the end admit that they are Alawites. Having failed the Sunni jihadis’ questioning, the truck drivers are seated in a line in the median of the road and shot in the back of their heads firing squad style by the self-appointed law enforcers, jury, judge and executioner. The three truck drivers are shot in the back repeatedly, as chants of Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest) are audible in the background. More than a dozen shots are fired into the men’s bodies, even after it appears they are already dead. The incident likely took place near Ramadi in Iraq’s Anbar Province. The perpetrators wear military-type uniforms and black scarves over their heads, holding machine guns, while at least one is fully masked with a large ammunition belt hanging around his neck. The incident may have been pre-planned for public relations purposes, as the scene shown in the YouTube video was filmed from two separate angles. ISIS has emerged as a scourge in rebel controlled areas, carrying out kidnappings and sectarian killings. While Christians are at risk daily in countries like Egypt, Syria and Iraq, the video outlines the dangers facing other other religious minorities in the crosshairs of Sunni radicals, including practitioners of the Alawite faith, an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam of which Syrian President Bashar Assad is a member and protector. The jihadi uses the insulting term ‘nusayri’ to describe the Alawites. The jihadis are referred to as the ‘lions of Anbar’ and the incident appears to be taking place in Anbar province, Iraq, probably close to the border with Syria. The men are referred to as ‘nusayri (alawi) spies’ in the title.. At the end of the video, one of the ISIS members is seen throwing a burning object at one of the trucks, which begins to burn and smoke. Video - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1099961/Abu-Wahib-sentences-three-truck-drivers-death-2013.html

AL-Monitor / September 4, 2015 Syrian truck drivers are the only ones who maintain good relations with commanders of the regime, the Free Syrian Army (FSA), Islamic State (IS) and Democratic Union Party (PYD) forces, all while constantly monitoring the clashes. In the four-year Syrian civil war, 250,000 people have been killed and 4 million of them have become refugees in neighboring countries. Millions of them are struggling to survive in a country divided four ways between the Bashar al-Assad regime, the opposition, ISIS and the PYD. Wherever they live, these Syrians meet their daily needs of flour, medicine, baby food, fuel and clothing through merchants and truck drivers who are the only ones who can cross the internal borders. It is lethal trade for the drivers. They navigate essential, fine points of survival: Without distinction, they maintain good relations with the entire gamut of factions and religiously keep track of daily clashes and events on the ground. Their biggest advantage is the constant need of all fighting parties. This is their story. Salim is one of millions of Syrians who is a victim of civil war. His family lives in Aleppo. He doesn’t have a permanent living place because he makes his living trucking through a country whose economy has collapsed. Like many of his colleagues, he has faced death many times. Salim’s story is the story of how people remaining in Syria obtain their survival needs like food, fuel and other basics and the trade relations between enemy groups. Syrians who have decided to stay obtain their flour, medicine and fuel thanks to truckers like Salim who can enter any zone, no matter who controls it. Syrian truckers are probably the only group who can cross the internal borders of different groups. Truckers are not very talkative. They don’t want to attract attention. Only Salim and a businessman who goes by MU shared the details of the “lethal commerce” on condition we don’t use their full names. Their biggest advantage is that all fighters, wherever they operate, have one thing in common: They have to take bread home. MU explained, “Trade routes are never closed fully in any area. At the end, we carry flour, pasta and oil. When we take goods to one area, families of people fighting there also benefit.” There are other fine points to keep in mind when shuttling through internal borders controlled by enemy groups. For example, truckers constantly monitor the safety of their routes through people they know. To find goods and to carry them, they have to maintain good relations with commanders in every zone. MU said, “They inform us when they seize commercial commodities. That way, they make money and we get goods to sell.” A security guard in a Mercedes escorts trucks that carry valuable goods from Esselame to the Kurdish Afrin region. This Mercedes is the ticket that allows the trucks to pass unhindered through areas controlled by various groups. When fighting groups see the Mercedes, they know that the trucks carry goods that won’t be touched and let them pass. Although production has slowed down enormously because of the civil war, it hasn’t fully come to a standstill in main cities like Aleppo and Damascus. Still, there is no electricity in most parts of the country. Small workshops produce goods, from textiles to car generators. As they can’t be exported to Turkey, Iraq or other countries, they are sold inside the country. Telephone networks are not working. Merchants and truckers learn what is produced through word of mouth from local commanders. MU said, “This is commerce with the conditions of 100 years ago.” The regime supporters, ISIS and the PYD have set up their own taxation systems in the areas they control. This tax is a kind of life insurance for merchants and truckers. For example, in the PYD area, if you are carrying tea and sugar, you pay $200 for each truck. Truckers say the system is different in the IS area: “If you are transiting through [iS] area, you pay small amounts. But if you are delivering to their area, they determine a tax based on the type of good, its value and identity of the merchant. Assad, ISIS and PYD have established systems, but not the FSA. The FSA has too many factions, and there is no established taxation system there.” When explaining how they can move in and out of all areas, MU told the latest situation in the country, in the following excerpt of the interview. Al-Monitor: Almost every corner of Syria is a war zone. The country is divided in four, everyone fighting each other, but you are moving around and cross internal borders. How is that? MU: Truckers know the safe routes. We constantly monitor where clashes are, like we follow weather reports. Coalition airplanes attack certain locations in coordination with PYD. The Assad regime informs its units of where they are going to hit. Merchants are always in touch with these parties. That is how we decide which route to take. Anyhow, whether it’s Assad, PYD or ISIS zone, there is not much interference with merchants. [The armed forces] want the trade to continue because they all benefit from it. Sometimes clashing groups declare temporary truces, say for four hours, to allow commercial vehicles to move freely. The latest was at Al Rai between Haseke and Raqqa where the PYD and IS halted clashes at certain times to allow the trade to go on. Al-Monitor: You mean they suddenly declare a cease-fire for business to go on? MU: Yes, there are severe clashes. You always see corpses all over. But when they see us, they say, ‘Let these people pass and we will resume fighting.’ They continue to kill each other after our vehicles pass through. Al-Monitor: What are favorite routes of truckers? MU: In general, we use a 400-km (249-mile) route between Idlib and Haseke. We prefer night travels. They have snipers at certain locations. Drivers know well where to turn off their headlights. If their vehicles are hit by snipers, then they have the danger of being robbed by Bedouins. Fighting groups are not the sole danger. Al-Monitor: Are any drivers killed? MU: Yes. PKK and ISIS regions are dangerous. Militants who stand at the entrance of their checkpoints are usually very unfriendly. But this is business. We take to roads knowing the dangers. For example, most of our drivers are from the FSA and they are wanted people. But they are a courageous lot. They never leave without saying their final farewells especially when they head to an Assad zone. Al-Monitor: What about money? How are payments made? MU: You don’t pay the drivers. There are money changers in every area who transfer up to $5 million a day. Some build secret compartments in their trucks and cars. Al-Monitor: A kind of hawale [bank money order] … MU: Better than hawale. No bank can transfer that much money in such a short time. Of course you have to pay 1-2% service commissions.

CAT Trucks Australia / Navistar Auspac Press Release / September 8, 2015 Cat CT630 stands tall in family logging company In a proud family-owned business where reputations evolve on the ability to endure the tests of time and toil among the hardwood forests of Western Australia’s southwest, Cat trucks have emerged as the modern-day truck of choice. Based at Manjimup, 300 km south of Perth, South West Haulage is a timber harvesting and haulage company which has been an integral part of the West Australian logging industry for around 60 years. For more than 50 of those years, Greg Smeathers has lived and breathed every aspect of the business. “This business, the bush, the trucks and the machinery, everything about it has been so much a part of my life since I was a kid. Even my father worked here,” says the sharp 68 year-old, born and bred in Manjimup who first joined the company as a 15 year-old apprentice mechanic in March 1962. In fact, so ingrained is South West Haulage in the life of Greg Smeathers that just three years ago, at an age when most men are contemplating retirement, Greg and sons Peter and Shawn invested everything they have to buy the company outright. “I’d had a limited financial interest in the company since 2007,” Greg explains, “and I’d been running the whole operation for years on behalf of the owners. Anyway, when the opportunity came up a few years ago to take full ownership of the company, and the boys were keen to be involved, we bit the bullet and threw everything we had into it. “At my age it wasn’t easy convincing the banks,” he smiles, “but we got there eventually. Apart from the financial aspects, the thing that got us across the line was that I’ve been totally involved in this company and this industry for well over 50 years. Plus the fact that the three of us are equal partners, and Peter and Shawn have spent most of their lives growing up around the business. “This company is now their future.” Meantime, growth has been significant since father and sons took total control. The winning of a major logging contract in early 2014 saw the size of South West Haulage almost double as annual tonnages increased to around 400,000 tonnes. A vast equipment inventory of harvesting machines, trucks, trailers and service vehicles today includes 24 prime movers with most coupled to trailer sets configured as ‘pocket’ roadtrains, operating on approved routes with overall length to 27.5 metres and gross weights up to 79 tonnes. South West Haulage operates in two divisions with Peter in charge of blue gum plantation timber and Shawn controlling the harvesting and haulage of native timbers, while Greg applies his vast experience to the overall operation. Like their father, Peter and Shawn Smeathers are highly experienced heavy equipment mechanics who know what it takes for machinery to succeed midst the constant demands of harvesting and hauling tall timber from forest to mill. “If there’s one thing for sure, I’ve certainly seen some big changes in equipment over the past 50 years,” Greg reflects. When it comes to equipment choice, father and sons take a long-term view. “We look for things to last,” says eldest son Peter. “We maintain all our own equipment and have a big workshop with mechanics and maintenance people who know how to build and rebuild things, so unlike a lot of companies we don’t have the need to replace trucks every four or five years. “The biggest thing for us is durability. The ability to just keep doing the job day in and day out. If the wheels aren’t turning, we’re not earning. It’s as simple as that.” In a business where equipment is invariably expected to deliver the full extent of its viable service life, Cat trucks are a comparatively new arrival. The first CT630 model joined the South-West fleet in 2011 when Greg was quick to recognise the advantage of a truck with a C15 engine and vitally, no AdBlue or EGR emissions controls. Since then, however, the performance and durability of Cat trucks have established the brand’s operational credentials to the point where there are now seven Cats in the fleet. In fact, all new prime movers bought since 2011 wear the Cat badge. “The business case for Cat definitely stacks up,” Peter says firmly. “There’s no question we all have a strong regard for Cat products but if the first truck didn’t stand up to the job, there would never have been a second Cat truck let alone another four or five of them. “It has become the truck of choice basically because it has done no wrong and it’s a good value-for-money proposition,” he confirms. As Peter quickly adds though, there’s more to the liking for Cat than mechanical matters. “It’s about the whole package; performance, reliability and service. We have a good relationship with the people at WesTrac, particularly Peter Calligaro (Cat Trucks manager) and when it’s all boiled down, everything revolves around the quality of the people you’re working with.” The Cats primarily operate in the blue gum operation, hauling up to 54 tonnes of sawn logs to a woodchip mill at Bunbury, 130 km from Manjimup and as far as 250 km from the furthest harvest sites. “On tare weight the Cats are at least as good as anything else we run,” Peter remarks, “but the big thing for us is that they’re showing all the signs they’ll live a long time in the job without any major issues. “The C15’s a proven engine, the gearbox and diffs are proven components, and the cabs and chassis are holding together really well. “They’re doing everything right and when it comes to equipment of any sort, that’s exactly what we’re after.” For Greg Smeathers, the Cat preference is honed on more than half a century of hard work and enduring performance. “I’ve been working with Cat gear since I was a 15 year-old apprentice, so the liking for Cat isn’t a recent thing. It’s something that has been built over many decades. The simple fact is I know it’s good gear.” On the experience with Cat trucks, a resolute Greg Smeathers concludes, “There’s no doubt that when it comes to anything with a Cat badge, we have high expectations. “The Cat trucks are certainly no different and they’re doing everything to live up to those expectations. “Better still, I can’t see any reason why they won’t keep doing it.” Photo gallery - http://www.cattrucks.com.au/cat-trucks-shine-in-was-south-west/

Transport Engineer / September 9, 2015 Italian-owned logistics specialist Transmec has taken delivery of nine new Stralis Hi-Way 6x2 twin-steer tractor units to its 100% Iveco fleet in the UK. Transmec UK general manager John Simkins says the new tractor units (all AS440S48TX/P) were specified with the 11 litre Cursor 11 480bhp engine, with its HI-SCR (selective catalytic reduction) technology and no EGR (exhaust gas recirculation). They also have the Fuel Efficiency Package, designed to reduce operating costs, with technology including Iveco’s Eco-Roll. When cruise control is active, the system evaluates downhill inclines and puts the vehicle in neutral. At the end of the slope, the system selects the optimal gear and re-establishes normal vehicle operation. Other features include Iveco’s engine oil management system, claimed to reduce energy consumption by the oil pump and to enable faster engine warming. Coupled with this is an initial fill of 0W-20 low viscosity engine oil – a fully synthetic lubricant designed to release low volumes of sulphated ash at high temperatures, protecting both the engine and diesel particulate filter. The arrival of the distinctive blue and yellow-liveried vehicles comes shortly after the delivery of eight new Stralis trucks late last year (2014) via dealer Guest Truck & Van on a three year contract hire and maintenance agreement. “Our Iveco trucks have always delivered excellent performance,” comments Simkins, adding that the new vehicles are now operating from its Bradford depot. “The new vehicles have Iveco’s latest technology, in terms of performance and fuel economy, and we are looking forward to the benefits these will bring to our business.” .

Owner/Driver / September 9, 2015 Ken Dillon has made the transition from company driver to small fleet livestock haulier. Ken Dillon has done his fair share of driving for other operators. Today, however, Ken and his wife Rhonda own a small fleet under the name of Clermont Livestock Transport. Located in central Queensland, the three trucks in the fleet are all Kenworths: a T909, a T904 and a T908. The newest, the T909, is powered by a 600hp (447kW) ISX E5 Cummins. "The 909 is definitely the best yet…It’s a real driver’s truck, I’m rapt with it," Ken says. The T909 is in stark contrast to the truck Ken started with when he was 17. "The truck was an [international] S-Line that I drove for my cousin, a tractor, doing singles and then on to road trains," he recalls. After going bush for a while, Ken came back to Clermont. He drove for McIver Transport for 18 months before spending 11 years with VJ & J Appleton. "It was hard yards back then. There was so much work and there was never any downtime. It was just go, go, go, which for a young bloke was all a big adventure and very exciting," Ken says. "You learnt a great deal, the roads weren’t what they are today and it was a case of using your initiative and solving the problems as they presented themselves." Ken entered into a business partnership with a colleague, Dan Mayes, in 2005 and purchased a new Kenworth T904 and a set of Haulmark crates. Ken subsequently bought Dan’s share of the business and now operates as Clermont Livestock Transport. Ken believes there are more cattle within the 500km radius of Clermont than the rest of Australia. "Let’s put it this way, it’s a good place to be if you want to cart cattle as it’s a very productive area," he says. While the majority of Ken’s work is in Queensland, he is happy to travel wherever the cattle need to go. "I do avoid the southern states, our gear is a bit big and heavy but we do work up into the territory and gulf," he says. Ken makes no secret he is a Kenworth man through and through. He recalls a recent encounter when he was heading into town and came across two blokes taking photos of his truck. The men were there for a photoshoot of a new Mack Super-Liner but decided to take a few shots of Ken’s truck as well. He recalls one of the photographers commenting the Kenworth looked so good coming towards them that they wanted to turn the Mack around and do the same thing. "I piped up and said: ‘you’ll never make a Mack look anything like a Kenworth’." Photo gallery – http://www.ownerdriver.com.au/industry-news/1509/living-the-livestock-game/ Kenworth T909 Info - http://www.kenworth.com.au/trucks/t909/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yReyurRd_RM

"this is a situation that calls for governments and their military to take the action to correct the conditions that are causing these people to flee" A key point, and yet there is no dedicated effort by the powers who can successfully accomplish such a mission to see it thru. Given the Russian connection with Assad, they must be involved in a military solution. And the fact is, they have one of the best military capabilities. ISIS is as much of a problem for Russia as it is for the US and the rest of the world. If we worked together on common goals once in a while, we could get along better the rest of the time. Note what I posted above, that MANY of the immigrants (refugees) are not from Syria. No one can blame people for seeking a better life in a higher-life-quality country, but the EU simply can't accommodate the staggering numbers we're seeing.

Lockheed Martin Protests JLTV Contract Award to Oshkosh Bloomberg / September 8, 2015 Lockheed Martin Corp. has filed a protest seeking to overturn the U.S. Army’s choice of Oshkosh Corp. to build a new vehicle replacing the Humvee, a program potentially valued at as much as $30 billion. Oshkosh was awarded an initial $6.75 billion contract for about 17,000 vehicles last month. The challenge pits Lockheed, the No. 1 U.S. government contractor, against Oshkosh, which ranked 99th in 2014, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. “After evaluating the data provided at our debrief, Lockheed Martin has filed a protest of the award decision,” spokesman John Kent said Tuesday in an e-mail. “We firmly believe we offered the most capable and affordable solution for the program. Lockheed Martin does not take protests lightly, but we are protesting to address our concerns regarding the evaluation” of the company’s offer. The Army plans to purchase about 55,000 of the multipurpose Joint Light Tactical Vehicle for its troops and the Marine Corps through 2040 as a better-armored replacement for the aging Humvee. AM General The announcement came the same day that AM General LLC, the other losing competitor and the maker of the Humvee, said it wouldn’t file a challenge with the Government Accountability Office that handles protests. The most famous case in the last decade of a successful protest was GAO’s 2008 decision supporting Boeing Co.’s challenge of an Air Force award to Northrop Grumman Corp. for its aerial refueling tanker. It cited “a number of significant errors that could have affected the outcome.” Boeing won the rebidding. Few Sustained Only 2.4 percent of protests over Defense Department contract awards have been sustained from fiscal 2010 through fiscal 2014, according to an analysis of GAO data by Bloomberg Government analyst Jorge Uquillas. “The government is aware of the protest” by Lockheed and “will fully cooperate in required processes,” Army spokesman Michael Clow said in an e-mail. “We remain confident that the JLTV program is well positioned to provide our soldiers and Marines a substantial capability improvement while remaining affordable for America’s taxpayers.” December Deadline The GAO has until Dec. 17 to render a decision, according to spokesman Charles Young, who confirmed that Lockheed filed a protest. If it wins the challenge, Lockheed would manufacture the vehicles at a Camden, Arkansas, facility. Oshkosh has its plant in the Wisconsin town of the same name, where it’s based. The Humvee entered service in 1985, when “improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other anti-vehicle explosive devices were not a major factor in military planning,” according to a March 9 report by the Congressional Research Service. The Army required that its Humvee replacement be able to survive the most destructive improvised bombs, be mechanically reliable and maintainable with onboard diagnostics, all-terrain mobility, and linked into current and future tactical data networks, according to the CRS. Separately, AM General has just received a six-year, fixed-price contract valued at as much as $428 million to supply the National Guard with 654 of its new M997A3 Humvee Ambulance Chassis Vehicle designed for domestic disaster relief efforts, company spokesman Jeff Adams said in a statement. The Lockheed JLTV (with video) - http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/jltv.html

The Clinton campaign has reached the end of the road. Hillary is actually grovelling. After saying for weeks that she would not apologize, refusing to admit that she was wrong, she is now saying that she's sorry and her action was a mistake. Only a last ditch effort can cause this arrogant woman to humble herself before the public. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/09/07/clinton-says-no-email-apology-what-did-was-allowed/ http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/clinton-says-sorry-for-using-private-email-at-us-state-dept/ar-AAe4NkW

These latest TGXs to support the Cologne plant are of course left-hand drive (Germany). But as for the right-hand drive TGXs operated in the UK, no, the Ford Otosan Cargo is not available in right-hand drive. The logical markets would be India and Pakistan, but India has too many players as it is and trucks must be engineered to be very cheap, and Pakistan isn't worth the trouble. The other big RHD markets, like the UK, Thailand Malaysia, Indonesia, HK, Japan, Australia and New Zealand also already have too many players in their truck markets.

Multiple pages here of Mack trucks operating in Iran. http://www.besttruck.ir/category/%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%88%D9%86/%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%85%DA%A9%D9%85%D8%A7%DA%A9-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%BE%D9%88%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%A7%DA%AFmack/ Related reading: http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/30411-when-mack-ruled-the-roads-of-iran/?hl=when+mack+ruled+the+roads+of+iran http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/33150-when-mack-ruled-the-roads-of-iran-part-2/?hl=iran

There are so many angles to this. As always, it is the innocent children that truly suffer. Within five years, the new immigrants in Europe are going to be complaining that: 1. You’re not taking good enough care of us 2. You don’t really like us 3. You don’t provide us with good paying jobs 4. You’re discriminating against us Western Europe is a wonderful place to exist, not unlike the US. Great climate, ect. However, it’s not rationally possible for everyone to go live there. The glass is full. I’ve no clue what Merkel is trying to prove. Though Germany has a relatively low 4.7 percent unemployment rate, that’s much due to Germany’s government supported unions which are making Germany less and less competitive. The EU as a whole for 2015 has a 9.7 percent unemployment rate (the US is allegedly at 5.3 percent). Another issue is the easy infiltration of terrorist cells into the EU countries. With the normal security mechanisms presently turned off, as though going online with your anti-virus software disabled (something you'd never do), terrorist groups can easily mix hordes of operatives in with the vast ocean of immigrants. None of their backgrounds can be vetted.......the EU countries are just taking names. Knowing how badly the radical Islamist look for opportunities to commit terrorism in the Western countries that are their sworn enemies................It's a scary possibility for Western Europe. If the US had given in to Russia on Syria and allowed Assad to remain in power, we could have in return seen a US-Russian joint military force stomp ISIS out of existence (Give Putin an opportunity to hold his head high and he'll do almost anything for you). ISIS is headed by former Chechnyan rebels and ruthless Hussein era Iraqi military that both Russia and the US would like to annihilate. With the Russians beginning a sweep from the west, and the US sweeping from the east, and with no modern-times restrictions on the military commanders, they could carry a big stick (as former “can-do” U.S. Presideent Teddy Roosevelt would say) and remove ALL elements of ISIS from this earth, relocating them to the infernal region (as George S. Patton would say). This unprecedented cooperation between the two major super powers that so often disagree would send the strongest of messages to all evil elements remaining in the world that the US and Russia will no longer hesitate to cooperate and eradicate evil, utilizing a “no holds barred” iron fist approach (the nice guy approach having failed, we will fight as ruthlessly as they do.....also without mercy)

Europe's Refugee Crisis by the Numbers European leaders are proposing extra funding to deal with the immigrants (aka. refugees). German Chancellor Angela Merkel today announced an extra $6.7 billion in spending on refugees in Germany next year including temporary housing for 150,000 people, with half going to the nation's 2016 federal budget and the other half to states and municipalities. Now trying to turn down the massive flow, Germany and Austria are advocating for quotas for each of the 28 members of the European Union. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is expected this week to propose relocating 120,000 migrants now located in Italy, Greece and Hungary to other EU nations. That plan may include offering 6,000 euros per refugee in funding (about $6,700) for the host country and 500 euros per migrant (about $558) to the E.U. nation where they enter. The Numbers: Number of displaced people internally after Syrian conflict: More than 6 million Registered refugees to other countries after Syrian conflict: More than 4 million Mediterranean Sea crossings by refugees and migrants so far this year: 300,000 Mediterranean Sea crossings by refugees and migrants for all of 2014: 219,000 Cap of refugees United States to accept in fiscal 2015: 70,000, unchanged from the previous year Expected asylum seekers in Germany this year: 800,000 Prime Minister David Cameron said Monday that the UK would be willing to take in 20,000 Syrian refugees from camps near the war-torn country's borders over the next five years. French President Francois Hollande said on Monday, dismissing opinion polls showing public opposition to the move, France is ready to take in 24,000 refugees over the next two years. Polls showing 55 percent of the French people oppose admitting more refugees or easing asylum procedures to cope with the EU's migration crisis. Far-right, French National Front leader Marine Le Pen leading opposition to opening the borders. "Our country has neither the means, nor the energy, nor the desire to be more generous than it can be toward the world's misery," she said Sunday. "We can no longer take in anyone. That's the reality," said Le Pen, whose party opposes immigration and EU membership. She also accused Germany of seeking to recruit low-wage migrant "slaves" to replace its aging workforce. “Germany is probably thinking of its moribund demographics, and it is probably trying to lower salaries again and to continue to recruit slaves via massive immigration.” Ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy, leader of the conservative opposition Republican party, called at the weekend for detention camps to be set up in neighboring countries under EU control to filter refugees before they crossed the Mediterranean. He also repeated past calls for an end to the EU's Schengen zone of open border travel. Pressure is mounting on Germany and other nations to scale back their generous policies welcoming refugees, with opponents, including some of the region’s most influential leaders, arguing that the promise of aid is enticing more and more asylum seekers to make a break for ­Western Europe. Some European leaders and domestic critics blame Germany, as well as similarly generous nations such as Sweden, for offering benefits so lucrative that they had become an incentive for asylum seekers to risk their lives over land and sea. The criticisms came as the pace of arrivals accelerated Monday. In Greece, the refugees’ first port of call, authorities requested emergency European Union assistance as islands received asylum seekers faster than they could be ferried to the mainland. Greece’s coast guard said it had rescued more than 2,000 asylum seekers in the Mediterranean Sea since Friday. And hundreds of migrants scuffled with Hungarian authorities on the border with Serbia before pushing into the country on foot. Germany responded to the criticism Monday by announcing a reduction in cash handouts for asylum seekers during their initial months of processing, instead saying it would offer them more food stamps and in-kind aid. Berlin also said it would push to have western Balkan countries such as Kosovo declared “safe” in a bid to weed out the many thousands of migrants now claiming asylum from countries not at war. The move in Germany to reduce cash handouts for asylum seekers came as the country is also seeking to rapidly expel those who do not qualify. During the first six months of this year, for instance, about 45 percent of people seeking asylum in Germany were Europeans from the Balkans. The German maneuvers reflected the complex nature of Europe’s migrant crisis, in which desperate Syrians and Iraqis are searching for sanctuary in the wealthy countries of Europe’s core along with a host of economic migrants pouring in from countries as far-flung as Pakistan and Bangladesh. “We want to reduce the number of pull factors, and I think it’s a big step forward that we have consensus in our government to reduce the monetary benefits for those seeking asylum,” said Stephan Mayer, a German national lawmaker and home affairs spokesman for the Christian Social Union, part of Merkel’s ruling coalition. Referring to criticisms by European leaders including Britain’s David Cameron and Hungary’s Viktor Orban, he said, “I can’t say that Orban or Cameron are completely wrong.” In the crowded refugee centers across this nation of 81 million, asylum seekers admit they have come to Germany because it’s offering more help than other nations in the region. Mohammed Mazher Alkilany, 28, a former PR consultant for the Damascus tourism board who is living in a temporary shelter in east Berlin, said his family of three is living on 233 Euros a month provided by the German government — a sum he described as too little to cover the cost of warm clothes and blankets for the coming winter. But they are also living in free temporary housing in a building outfitted with a playground and rooms with shared kitchens, bathrooms and washing machines. He insisted, though, that he did not come to Germany simply for its generous benefits. “I came here because Germany is safe; there is no war,” he said. “Germany is the best in Europe. France is no good, you cannot get language classes there, but in Germany you can learn the language for free.” Although Sweden is offering similar aid, he said it was “too far away, it is very cold, and it is always night there.” A few European nations have been willing to set up operations to legally and safely bring, for example, Syrian refugees directly from bordering nations such as Turkey and Lebanon. But they have put strict limits on numbers, with all 28 E.U. nations offering just over 53,000 such spots since 2013, according to U.N. figures. That number pales compared with the more than 4 million Syrian refugees. Instead, European nations have preferred to deal with ­asylum seekers only at the point when they are politically forced to — after the refugees physically cross their borders. Cameron says Britain is acting with “head and heart” by accepting refugees only from camps around the Syrian border, while seemingly taking a jab at nations such as Germany for encouraging illegal trips by accepting so many. The debate over whether Germany is being too generous came as more European politicians are questioning the open-door approach. “The problem is not a European problem. The problem is a German problem,” says Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The situation has also led to calls for the U.S. to take a greater role in the crisis by expanding its refugee program and making it easier for desperate immigrants to navigate the cumbersome and time-consuming process. How Many Refugees Does The U.S. Accept? The government has authorized 70,000 refugees to be resettled in the United States in fiscal year 2015, which began Oct. 1. The cap is set by the White House, which works with Congress and takes into account funding and the potential social and economic impact of refugees in the country. About 51,000 refugees from all over the world have been resettled here through July, according to data compiled by the Refugee Processing Center. The State Department says the U.S. will likely reach or come close to meeting the 70,000 cap. Iraq, Bhutan, Burma, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo comprise the largest makeup of refugees accepted in the U.S. Meanwhile, only about 1,000 Syrians have been resettled in America this fiscal year. People from countries like Egypt, Libya and Eritrea have been accepted into the U.S. at even smaller rates. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wealthy Gulf nations face questions over Syria refugee As hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees languish in camps or risk their lives to reach Europe, questions are being asked about why wealthy Gulf states have accepted so few. By the end of August, more than four million Syrians had fled their country but very few if any refugees have been officially accepted by the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have donated billions to help refugees, but are facing increasing scrutiny for their apparent unwillingness to accept migrants. Why, as one of the greatest migration crises of modern times unfolds, are fellow Arab countries, with similar cultural and religious values and a relative proximity compared to Europe, doing little to help resettle people? That That criticism is being voiced not just in the West, but within the region itself. The Gulf nations have hardly stood on the sidelines during Syria's conflict, providing significant financial assistance to refugees in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey. However at the same time, they have been among the most ardent opponents of President Bashar al-Assad, backing the mainly Sunni rebels who have risen up against his regime, which is supported by their Shiite regional rival Iran. GCC countries have also provided funds and weapons for rebel groups fighting Assad -- leading to some accusations that they are backing shadowy extremists. But when it comes to allowing in refugees, domestic concerns seem preeminent, even though many of the refugees are Sunni Muslims like the majority of people in the Gulf. Smaller Gulf countries like the UAE and Qatar, where millions of foreign workers already vastly outnumber local citizens, fear being overwhelmed by refugees. Security concerns are also paramount for countries like Saudi Arabia that have been targeted in attacks by the jihadist Islamic State group operating in Syria and Iraq. And an influx of large numbers of refugees could upset stability in countries with little grassroots political activity. Hundreds of thousands of Syrians live among the millions of foreigners lured by work opportunities to the Gulf states -- prompting some to argue that they are already helping those fleeing the conflict. As one anonymous Syrian wrote recently on Facebook: "Saudi has no refugees but it hosts a million Syrians on visitor visas, in addition to the Syrian residents, and they get their health care and schools, and in some cases their rents from charities." For some in the Gulf, the criticism should be directed instead at Western governments, saying it is their failure to fully back and arm those fighting Assad that is behind the refugee crisis. "European and American officials facing their short-sighted policies must welcome more Syrian refugees," said former Qatari diplomat Nasser Al-Khalifa. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Five families of Syrian refugees granted asylum in Uruguay last year protested outside the president's offices on Monday, demanding they be allowed to leave the South American country in search of better jobs, even back in the Middle East. Uruguay accepted the 42 Syrians fleeing civil war in October 2014, but the families said they felt the leftist government had failed to deliver on a promise of good incomes. "I am not afraid to go back to Lebanon," said 36-year-old Aldees Maher, whose family had initially sought safety in a refugee camp across the border from Syria. "I want a place that guarantees me, my family a life." In Uruguay, a secular country with a tiny Muslim population of about 300, the refugees receive housing, health care, education and financial support from the government. Even so, they have struggled to settle in and relations with locals have been strained. "I don't have any way of getting a job to earn enough money and look after the family. Before we came, the embassy told us we could earn $1,500 a month," said Maher. Maher and his family returned to Uruguay after spending 20 days in Istanbul's airport in August after immigration officials refused them entry to Turkey. "If they want to go, they can. But it is not up to us whether another country allows them entry," said Javier Miranda, head of the human rights secretariat inside the presidency. One 22-year-old Syrian who identified herself as Sanaa said she felt deceived by Uruguay's treatment of the refugee group. "It's not what they said it would be like here. We want to leave," she said. Another group of 80 Syrian refugees is expected to land in the country before the end of the year. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraqi, Syrian and Afghan immigrants at the Hungarian-Serbian border are complaining and fighting with Hungarian police. At being prevented from leaving a holding site and heading on to a transit camp near Roszke, Hungary, where they can register as refugees and continue their journey, they’re asking "Why are they treating us like this?" One Hungarian nonprofit was on site handing out biscuits, fruit and water, and a medical tent was erected Monday. Meanwhile, Austria and Germany warned they can't keep up with the influx of refugees and said they must begin to slow the pace. More than 16,000 migrants have streamed into Austria since Saturday. Virtually all continued to Germany, where the city of Munich had received more than 17,500 people. "We must now, step by step, go from emergency measures to a normality that is humane and complies with the law," Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann said. The United Nations' refugee agency, UNHCR, estimates that more than 366,000 refugees and migrants have crossed the Mediterranean Sea to Europe this year. At least 2,800 have died or disappeared during the journey. Not every European country is opening its arms. Denmark, for instance, paid for ads in Arabic in four Lebanese newspapers to get the word out about its own new, tightened restrictions -- such as reducing social benefits -- to try to prevent refugees from getting into the Scandinavian nation. "We cannot simply keep up with the present flow," Immigration and Integration Minister Inger Stojberg, a member of the right-wing Venstre Party, said on Facebook. "In light of the huge influx to Europe these days, there is good reason for us to tighten rules and get that effectively communicated." Many of the migrants arrive with harrowing tales of crossing the Mediterranean, then walking from Greece through Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary and finally into Austria. Austria's border with Hungary remains open to potential refugees, Austrian Interior Ministry spokesman Alexander Marakovits said Sunday, as packed buses and trains continued to arrive. One man who recently arrived in Austria talked of the family's difficult journey through Hungary. "We went through a torture," he said, standing next to his two daughters. "We walked 110 kilometers (70 miles) with the children. They didn't allow us to take cars or trains." But he said the Hungarian people "were very nice" and the situation got better when the family arrived in Austria. "We are comfortable here, and we like the people and the government of Austria." Of the thousands who arrived in Austria this weekend, a dozen or so have opted to apply for asylum there, the country's Interior Ministry said. Many want to go farther, particularly to Germany. Attacks against refugees on the rise But the dangers don't stop once refugees reach Germany. At least 340 attacks have taken place on refugee camps in Germany this year, the Interior Ministry said. Most of the incidents are believed to be fueled by radical right-wing, anti-immigrant sentiment. The attacks include vandalism, hate speech and arson, as well as violent attacks on people. At least 38 violent assaults have been recorded this year, up from 28 last year. On Monday, another suspicious fire broke out at a house for asylum seekers in Rottenburg am Neckar, police said. Five people were injured -- three by smoke inhalation and two by jumping out of the building's first and second floors. European Union countries have an open-border policy that allows the free movement of people between member states. While Germany, France and other countries are opening their doors to more migrants, countries such as Hungary and Austria are clamping down on the flow. Hungary's right-wing government, trying to stop the flood of migrants, has erected a barbed wire fence along its more than 160-kilometer (100-mile) border with Serbia to prevent them from crossing there. Serbia is not an EU country.

Ford Motor Company has put 58 new MAN TGX 18.400 Ultra tractor units into service. The new trucks will be used in the vehicle manufacturer's production logistics unit. The particularly low height of these semi-trailer combinations with full air suspension is worthy of mention: The low fifth wheel height in combination with specialized trailers allows for three pallet cages to be stacked vertically for greater transport efficiency, while at the same time remaining in compliance with the statutory height limit of 4.00 metres. Typically, an internal height of 3.00 metres is required in the automotive industry. This height is taken from the material being transported - either stacked pallet cages or transport racks, produced at this height, for engines or vehicle body parts. MAN offers a special range of Ultra tractor units for this purpose. The new and particularly 315/45R22.5 drive axle tyres enable a fifth wheel height of 920 mm to be achieved. A special air suspension function ensures that the truck-trailer combination does not exceed the 4.00 metre mark, even when unloaded and with tyres under fully extended suspension: the truck is able to lower the driving height by approx. 20 mm when unloaded. Fully equipped for maximum safety and driving comfort The trucks are equipped with all available assistance systems, TipMatic with intarder, navigation, fixed cab phone and Bluetooth hands-free system. The emergency brake assistant permanently monitors the traffic ahead and triggers emergency braking in an emergency. The LGS lane guard system alerts the driver if, for example, he unintentionally leaves the lane. The ACC system (Adaptive Cruise Control) keeps to the speed required by the driver while at the same time maintaining the correct safety distance. The system independently controls the brake system of the truck for this purpose. In order to provide drivers with optimal comfort for tours involving occasional overnight stops, the vehicles are equipped with spacious XLX cabs. The trucks will be maintained by MAN under a service contract. MAN impresses Ford Since 2012, MAN has already been providing Ford Motor Company with 370 trucks under a five-year long term lease agreement including 185 TGX 26.440 6x2 tractors received in 2013 for transporting engines, transmissions and components between Ford's Dagenham, Halewood, Bridgend and Southampton operations in the UK. Ford says it made the selection because MAN Truck & Bus put together an attractive package that met its requirements. Attention to detail and the service provided by MAN's sales team were also factors in the decision, as was the positive feedback Ford received from its drivers, in terms of handling and comfort. .

From 1975 until 1998 (when Ford exited the heavy truck segment), Ford produced right-hand drive Louisville heavy trucks in Brisbane. Note that Brisbane was turned on the same year that the Ford Transcontinental entered production in Europe..........Ford planned to become a global heavy truckmaker. The Brisbane (Eagle Farm) plant in the state of Queensland was originally built in 1926, and produced landing craft for the Australian Navy during WW2. I wouldn't be surprised if the aerodynamic side fairings were locally sourced to help reduce costs. (Ford had three heavy truck plants: Amsterdam, Brisbane and Louisville)

The one thing I will say is these people do not have military training, weapons or the money to buy weapons. They stand no chance against ISIS, which is composed of many of Saddam Hussein's best trained, experienced and most ruthless military heads. This is why it has been a slaughter. It takes a professional army to stand up to ISIS. Syria has one, but it's been preoccupied fighting western-supported rebels. The rebels are fighting amongst themselves, as much as they are with Assad's government troops (depends which day it is), and will be the next source of headache if/when ISIS is dealt with. Where is the United Nations, or the Arab League, when it's time for them to perform their duties? If UN soldiers are finished raping 12-year-old girls and murdering families in the Central African Republic, perhaps these ruthless SS-like troops could head up to Syria and occupy their time killing members of ISIS. Related reading: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/21/what-saddam-gave-isis.html http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/20/former-saddam-spy-masterminded-the-rise-of-islamic-state-says-report Be sure to read these tales of our success with rebels (your tax dollars at work for a more peaceful tomorrow) http://www.wsj.com/articles/covert-cia-mission-to-arm-syrian-rebels-goes-awry-1422329582 https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/syrian-fighter-group-that-got-us-missiles-dissolves-after-major-defeat/2015/03/01/286fa934-c048-11e4-a188-8e4971d37a8d_story.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/11203825/Syrian-rebels-armed-and-trained-by-US-surrender-to-al-Qaeda.html

Yes Paul, the Aeromax name was applied to a first generation of aerodynamic models prior to the all-new HN-80 carrying forward the name. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As a response to the aerodynamic Kenworth T600, for 1988, Ford introduced its own aerodynamic heavy truck. Designated AeroMax L9000, the new design was an extensive upgrade of the L-9000. While sharing the same cab and the hood of the medium hood LS-9000, the Aeromax used a set-back front axle to add a form-fitting front bumper with swept front fenders. For the first time in a North American truck, automotive-style composite headlights were used. Other aerodynamic enhancements included skirted fuel tanks and a specially designed "Aero Bullet" sleeper unit. Following its introduction as a semitractor, the AeroMax line expanded into the vocational truck lineup alongside the rest of the Ford L-Series. A later LA-8000 was introduced for "Baby 8" intra-city delivery. 1992 saw the introduction of the extended hood, set-back front axle Aeromaxes designated LLA and LTLA-9000. These featured optional full-length chassis skirting, along with the same aero headlights and bumpers of the older medium hood LA series. Related Photograph - http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w0HhzSfOaro/UMtVQlsXFUI/AAAAAAAGNhc/l1Nxmhsjer4/s1600/NATIONAL+SCIENCE+CENTER+AUGUSTA+GEORGIA+FORD+Aero+Max+Sleeper+Cab+Truck+Drop+Deck+Trailer,US+Army+The+National+Science+Center+Augusta+GA..JPG .

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