kscarbel2

This is all a scam in the making, designed to shift billions of dollars of liability away from the vehicle manufacturers onto security software suppliers who have no liability as they make no promises of 100 percent guaranteed effectiveness. The vehicle manufacturers will most likely succeed with their scheme, because people have long accepted paying money from their own pocket to provide their computers with security software. In the end, the vehicle manufacturers will have rid themselves of the cost of providing security software with the car as a factory package, and most importantly in the cost perspective, rid themselves of the security responsibility and liability (it will be in the fine print when you buy the vehicle).

How could deciding not to go through with the deal damage our credibility abroad? As anyone here that travels abroad knows, our reputation abroad is in the gutter. We are a laughing stock. Our state department from back in the Bush era has all but destroyed the very high levels of credibility that our country once enjoyed. Obama recently said the U.S. is “the key factor in ensuring stability and security in the world". We certainly were, but not at this point in time.

The states doesn't get real Cadbury. Hershey's has a license agreement to produce/sell product under the Cadbury name in the states. It's a completely different tasting chocolate from the real Cadbury chocolate produced in the UK. I can't stomach the Hershey's Cadbury product.

The Washington Post / August 6, 2015 Zachary Hammond was on a first date when he was fatally shot by a police officer in his car during a drug bust in South Carolina, his family says. At the time the 19-year-old was shot and killed, his date, Tori Morton, was eating an ice cream cone, according to the family’s attorney, Eric Bland. Morton, 23, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana — all 10 grams of it — which, according to police, was the reason undercover agents set up the drug buy. The official police report never mentioned the two gunshots that killed Hammond on July 26 in a Hardees parking lot. Amid heightened scrutiny of fatal police shootings across the country, Hammond’s death has prompted numerous questions, few answers — and almost no national outrage. More than a week after Hammond’s death, his family’s attorney says race is almost certainly playing a role in the disconcerting silence. Unlike the victims in the highest-profile police shootings over the past year — in cities from Ferguson and Cleveland to North Charleston and Cincinnati — 19-year-old Zachary Hammond was white. “It’s sad, but I think the reason is, unfortunately, the media and our government officials have treated the death of an unarmed white teenager differently than they would have if this were a death of an unarmed black teen,” Bland told The Washington Post this week. “The hypocrisy that has been shown toward this is really disconcerting.” He added: “The issue should never be what is the color of the victim. The issue should be: Why was an unarmed teen gunned down in a situation where deadly force was not even justified?” So far this year, 25 percent of the people shot dead by police have been black, according to data collected by the Washington Post. But black people make up only 13 percent of the U.S. population. Police say the officer was a victim of “attempted murder” by Hammond, who was driving the vehicle. According to Seneca Police Chief John Covington, Hammond was driving the car “toward the officer” who was trying to make the stop. The officer fired twice, striking Hammond in the shoulder and torso. His death was classified as a homicide; an autopsy conducted by the Oconee County Coroner’s Office did not specify from which direction the bullets hit Hammond’s body. On Wednesday, Hammond’s family released the results of a private autopsy, which concluded that both bullets entered Hammond’s body from the back. According to the autopsy, the second bullet proved to be fatal, entering from the back of Hammond’s left side and passing through his chest, piercing his lungs and heart. In a statement Wednesday, Coroner Karl E. Addis said he does not know how Hammond’s body was positioned at the time he was shot. The facts of the fatal shooting are not unlike other cases that have prompted national outcry — most recently the shooting death of Sam DuBose, an unarmed black man who was shot dead during a traffic stop by a University of Cincinnati police officer. Officials released police dashboard camera footage of the incident which appeared to contradict the officer’s report that he was being dragged by DuBose’s vehicle. The video showed that the car was not moving when the weapon was fired and the officer was named and charged with murder. But Seneca police have refused to name the officer involved in the Hammond case, though, they say, he has been placed on administrative leave. The officer used a similar rationale as the one in Cincinnati — that the vehicle was being used as a weapon. “The driver accelerated and came toward the officer,” Covington, the police chief, said a day after the shooting, according to Fox Carolina. The officer “fired two shots in self-defense, which unfortunately were fatal for the suspect.” In a statement, Covington said: “We will not be releasing the [officer’s] name that was involved in the shooting and consider him a victim of attempted murder as we have previously stated several times. We feel that releasing his name may possibly subject the officer and family to harassment, intimidation or abuse.” The response to Hammond’s death has been disappointingly muted in Seneca, in South Carolina and nationally, said Bland, the family lawyer. He insists there would be more focus on the case if Hammond had been black. “They’re called the civil rights organizations, they’re not called the black rights organizations,” Bland said. “The color of his skin should not matter. White-on-white crime does not get the same impact as white-on-black crime.” Black activists are similarly asking why more people who countered the Black Lives Matter movement by saying “All Lives Matter” have been so silent on Hammond’s death. http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/unarmed-white-teen-killed-by-police-family-asks-where-is-the-outrage/ar-BBlsiwE .

You are most welcome. To speak of the Ford Transcontinental, to bring forth an important piece of global truck history so that new generations of people may know, lest it otherwise fade away and be forgotten, the pleasure is all mine. But, I hope bringing back the Transcontinental from the past didn't force BC Mack to go sit down again and take more of his pills.

To reduce your jet lag, try chewing these tablets. http://www.nojetlag.com/ They're actually produced in Wellington, New Zealand (so you can get a good deal there). In the US, Amazon has a good price.

GAZ Press Release / July 28, 2015 GAZ Group invited the truck industry media to put its next generation Ural truck range to the test this month near Yekaterinburg on the unforgiving roads of the Ural forest. With stony slopes, off-road conditions and fast running water, the landscape closely matches the actual operational conditions that Ural trucks experience in the hands of oil industry exploration teams. The demonstration showed off the unique off-road capabilities of Ural NEXT, as well as its high levels of comfort and reliability. Journalists comments: Autoreview: "This truck, as well as GAZelle NEXT, instills pride in our auto industry. I have never driven such a cozy, harmonious and "light" by sensations heavy all-terrain vehicle..." Auro@Mail.Ru: "In addition, NEXT amazed by its running-away: there are five tons of soil in the body, and the dump truck does not notice it completely, accelerating extremely briskly. You have only to manage changing speeds on the 9-speed gearbox! Driveability, brakes, and dynamics - everything is like in a passenger car. Ambience around the workplace is perfect: exemplary ergonomics and a lot of nice "gadgets" - glass holders, bottle holders, cruise control, radio control on the steering wheel, electric window lifters..." Kolesa.ru: "How I like a noble grumbling of the diesel "six"! An empty vehicle starts off easily with the third gear, and we roll out to the site. A bank-to-bank maneuverer both forward and backward, backing into a perpendicular park - all this is done easily, the vehicle managed not to knock any of the cones, so visibility is really all right". Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FH-6jDJuRI

Working around the globe really opens your eyes and expands your thought process, as you're no doubt experiencing. BUT, flying is no longer pleasant with the never-ending delays, late arrivals and subsequent missed connections and cancellations, and the constant jet lag back and forth gives you grey hair.

Somalia, a lawless abyss. Why would we allow them in (legally I presume) when we already have a steady flow of criminals pouring in over our southern border from another lawless abyss? We have a massive ongoing problem, dare I say crisis, unfolding in our country............and yet the government refuses to publicly acknowledge it.

I have a meeting in KL (Kuala Lumpur) next month.

Finally, a picture of a proper Commonwealth truck. Now, how about some of Fodens, ERFs and Seddon Atkinsons? They should be broken in just about now. A Scammell or Bedford TM would be acceptable as well. I recall an ERF-built Western Star COE running down there too.

Okay, okay, now you've done it.............because I won't be able try out a bag until............probably when I run through Hong Kong next month. I know I can get the jars of Sanitarium Marmite there.

Transport Engineer / August 6, 2015 LC Vehicle Hire, of Leeds, has ordered another 100 new Thompsons tippers this year, establishing a new record for the tipper bodies manufacturer from a single customer – of 1,150 tippers since 2002. Most have been all-steel Loadmasters fitted to 8x4 and 6x4 chassis, predominantly DAF, MAN and Mercedes-Benz. "First and foremost, our business is built upon the reliability of the trucks we offer," comments LC Vehicle Hire sales director Paul Bumford. "Tippers have the hardest life of any type of truck, so the ideal vehicle for us is the one that returns zero unscheduled downtime, while also needing the minimum amount of maintenance," he continues. "Strength, durability and reliability are what we are looking for, so a tipper body's quality of design and manufacture are paramount." Bumford says that having purchased Thompsons' tipper bodies for over 13 consecutive years, he has ample proof of those qualities. In fact, it was the building of Thompsons first northern factory in Blackburn that led to LC Vehicle Hire buying its first tippers form the company. Now, with three factories in the town, Blackburn produces more tipper bodies than its Croydon counterpart. As well as the higher gvw tipper types, Thompsons has also delivered dropside tippers on 7.5 and 18-tonne rigids, Hyva skiploaders and hookloaders, as well as special body types, such as bespoke lighting platforms (built by sister company Charlton) to LC Vehicle Hire. "When we come to sell our tippers, we always find that a vehicle with a Thompsons body is worth more than one without," comments Bumford. "Judged over its whole life costs, the Thompsons product is exceptionally cost-effective." .

Transport Engineer / August 5, 2015 Construction specialist Day Aggregates is running its first Mercedes-Benz truck for more than a decade, having taken delivery of an 8x4 Arocs from Surrey and Sussex dealer Rossetts Commercials. Its new Arocs 3240K was specified with the straight-six 394bhp engine mated to a Mercedes PowerShift automated gearbox. And, with an Aggrelite steel tipping body by Boweld plus a full complement of safety features and on-board weighing, it's delivering a 19.5-tonne payload. "Every kilo counts in our operation and that's a pretty good figure," states group transport manager Chris Cooling, who is responsible for Day Aggregates' mixed-marque fleet of 150 trucks, most eight-wheelers. "We used to run Mercedes-Benz 18-tonners, but over time they became a bit heavy, and we've previously steered clear of its 32-tonners for the same reason," he continues. "But the 8x4 Arocs is right on the money in terms of weight and payload capacity. It also looks to be every bit as strong and well-built as you'd expect and, if it lives up to its early promise, is going to be more fuel-efficient than any of the other eight-wheelers we have in the yard." Cooling says it was these factors, coupled with the persistent door knocking of Rossetts' sales people, that convinced the firm to give the truck a trial. "Day Aggregates is the biggest tipper operator in our area," observes Rossetts Commercials dealer principal Perry Reeves. "This is probably the most important vehicle we have supplied over the last couple of years," he continues. "I've every confidence that, backed-up by Rossetts' 24-hour after sales support, the Arocs will prove itself worthy of a more substantial role in the Day Group fleet." Day Aggregates' new Arocs is based at its Newhaven, East Sussex, depot and is currently working on the £94-million project to build a relief road between Bexhill-on-Sea and Hastings. .

Transport Engineer / August 5, 2015 Northern Irish operator McBurney Transport has ordered 25 Euro 6 Volvo trucks, as part of its fleet replacement cycle for 2015, including 15 FH 500 6x2 Globetrotters and 10 FM 460 Globetrotter models. Supplied by Dennison Commercials, the latest additions are all fitted with emergency braking and lane keeping support, in preparation for November's introduction of the General Safety Regulations. The trucks are also specified with the Dynafleet telematics system. McBurney is one of the largest Volvo operators anywhere in Ireland, having taken more than 1,000 vehicles from Dennison in the past 45 years. In October 2009, it was the first operator in the UK and Ireland to take delivery of the flagship Volvo FH16-700. Then, in 2011, McBurney took delivery of one of the first FH16-750 models, and was one of the first to order the new Volvo FH, in its 2013/14 truck delivery. "We are constantly updating our vehicles to ensure we have a reliable provision of services for our customers," says Norman McBurney, managing director. "We continue to purchase from Dennisons because Volvo is a consistently reliable and innovative product and we have been well supported by Dennisons locally over the years." .

KLXY / August 3, 2015 The City of Spokane unveiled its newest compressed natural gas garbage trucks Monday morning. Overall, the city will replace 90 trucks over the next seven years, cutting its green house gas emission by 20 percent. While CNG trucks cost around $30,000 more than standard diesel, the city says that cost is recouped in three years, through fuel and maintenance savings. The city estimates the new CNG vehicles, which cost $360,000 per unit, will save the city around $8,000 a year per truck compared to the older diesel models. The new CNG trucks are expected to last about 10 years, while the natural gas tanks on the new vehicles have to be recertified every five years. "One of the things you're going to notice is the emissions package on these trucks, much smaller, much tighter, much less maintenance than compared to a diesel powered truck so it's huge for us," said Scott Windsor, Director of Solid Waste Collections for the City of Spokane. Compressed natural gas trucks aren't more fuel efficient but gas is less expensive than diesel by about a dollar. For now, the CNG trucks will fill up at Avista Utilities until the city finishes a refueling station at its new utility central service center in about two weeks. Related reading - http://www.peterbilt.com/products/alternative-fuels/320/ .

Note that Volvo is replacing a knowledgeable Mack veteran with a Latin and English instructor. Apparently, no younger ex-Mack people (the Lehigh Valley has many) want to work for Volvo. Don performed the job so well, in the footsteps of my dear late friend Colin Chisholm, because he had an intimate knowledge of Mack Trucks from years of service. With all due respect to Mr. Kitsock, the simple fact that he never worked for (within) the company for any period of time makes him completely unqualified for the position.

Easy Tex...........our country's response and strategy needs to be a bit more in-depth.

Trucking News / August 4, 2015 Don Schumaker, curator of Mack Trucks Historical Museum, has received the Historian of the Industry Award from the American Truck Historical Society (ATHS). The award recognizes individuals who have been diligent in their pursuit of the history of the trucking industry. As curator of the Mack Trucks Historical Museum, Schumaker is responsible for dozens of trucks and exhibits that proudly display the history of Mack Trucks to thousands of visitors each year. “Don has made significant contributions to protecting and promoting the history of Mack Trucks, and we’re proud to see his efforts recognized with the Historian of the Industry Award,” said Stephen Roy, president of Mack Trucks North America. “Through his decades of service, first as an employee and then as curator of the museum, Don has been a true ambassador for Mack.” Schumaker joined Mack as a test lab mechanic in December 1957. He earned his engineering degree from Lafayette College while taking night classes and continuing to work at Mack. After advancing through a number of positions within the test lab, he was named manager of vehicle performance, a position he held until his retirement in 1995 after 38 years of service. After enjoying retirement for six short months, Schumaker was back with the Bulldog, joining the Mack Trucks Historical Museum staff in June 1996. He was named co-curator of the museum in 1997 and curator in 2008. Schumaker has announced his retirement from the Mack Trucks Historical Museum at the end of this year. Michael Kitsock has been named Schumaker’s successor and has already started work at the museum. Kitsock, a Pennsylvania native, is a former Latin and English instructor with a passion for antique and historic trucks. He is affiliated with several antique and historical truck organizations, including the ATHS, Antique Truck Club of America and the Schuylkill Historical Fire Society Museum. Located at the Mack Customer Center in Allentown, Pa., the Mack Trucks Historical Museum is a separate, not-for-profit corporation that explores the history of Mack and demonstrates the industry-leading manufacturing techniques that have kept Mack at the forefront of heavy-duty trucking. In addition to the museum, the Mack Customer Center is home to the Mack Heritage Center, a Mack showroom and a performance track where customers can test drive Mack vehicles .

Fiat Chrysler waited 1-1/2 years before telling NHTSA about hacking vulnerability Bloomberg / August 5, 2015 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) waited 18 months to tell federal safety regulators about a security flaw in radios being installed in more than a million vehicles that hackers later exploited to seize control of a Jeep last month. The automaker says it was working on a fix and didn’t consider the problem a safety defect. But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) saw otherwise. Eight days after finally being notified by FCA, the NHTSA pushed Fiat Chrysler last month to recall 1.4 million cars and trucks -- the first recall prompted by cybersecurity safety concerns. The episode came just days before Fiat Chrysler agreed to a $105 million penalty to settle complaints about its recall performance on other issues and as NHSTA faces its own criticism for failing to promptly get unsafe vehicles off the street. Cybersecurity threats present a new dimension to the problem, one that critics say demands even faster response to keep hackers from worming their way into vehicles and causing havoc. A Senate report last year concluded only two of 16 automakers had the ability to detect and respond to a hacking attack. “We want to make sure the automakers and regulators stay ahead of this,” said Mark Rechtin, autos editor for Consumer Reports and a former reporter for Automotive News. "While there have been no reports of hackers being able to access random cars, “once it happens, and it happens badly, no one will be able to trust their cars.” Hacking details The researchers who took control of a Jeep will detail their exploit at the Black Hat cybersecurity conference in Las Vegas Wednesday. Two days later at hacking conference in Los Angeles, another hacker said he will reveal vulnerabilities with General Motors’ OnStar navigation system mobile app. And there’s been a rise in auto thefts using key-cloning systems for electronic fobs. To help focus regulators’ attention on cyberthreats, the U.S. Senate promised the chronically understaffed agency more resources and personnel in a bill passed last week. But the funding is contingent on NHTSA making numerous changes in the wake of a Transportation Department Inspector General’s report critical of its slow response in recalls with more typical vehicle issues. On the cyber front, NHTSA has an open audit of the Fiat Chrysler recall to make sure it includes all potentially affected vehicles and the company’s fix actually works, agency spokesman Gordon Trowbridge said. There’s also an active investigation into Harman International Industries Inc., supplier of the Uconnect communications system used by Fiat Chrysler. Same vulnerability Another immediate focus is whether other automakers with similar systems have the same vulnerability, Trowbridge said. The agency has been having regular conversations with manufacturers and suppliers on cybersecurity, he said. Automakers have reached out to NHTSA “to let us know they are aware of the issue and the steps they are taking to assess their own security protections,” Trowbridge said. The auto industry’s two biggest trade groups, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of Global Automakers, said July 14 they would form an information-sharing and analysis center by the end of the year to collaborate against emerging cyber threats. The Fiat Chrysler hacking experiment should serve as “a wake-up call” to automakers to be more proactive to secure software and other systems, or else they’ll face new government regulations mandating security, said Ken Westin, a security analyst with the cybersecurity company Tripwire Inc. based in Portland, Ore. Lacks expertise Westin is skeptical of government regulation and isn’t convinced that an agency like NHTSA has the resources and expertise to oversee cybersecurity. Harman needs to let independent researchers test its devices and software, Westin said. Hacking vulnerabilities are often created not because products and software from vendors are insecure, but because of how they are applied and configured in a certain setting, he said. “A lot of the automakers are going to start demanding independent verification” of software and products, he said. “We see this in other areas of security when there’s a breach from a third party.” The vulnerability exposed in the Jeep hacking incident is unique to Fiat Chrysler, Harman CEO Dinesh Paliwal said in an interview Tuesday. Automakers modify radios and entertainment systems to suit their customers, he said. “This does not exist, to our assessment, in any other vehicle,” he said. A Harman spokesman declined to comment on why it took 18 months to inform regulators about the vulnerability. Third party Documents Fiat Chrysler filed with NHTSA note that it didn’t consider the software issue, identified by a third party in January 2014, to be a safety defect under U.S. law. Under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, which governs how and when recalls are conducted, automakers must notify NHTSA within five days of discovering a flaw that presents an unreasonable risk to public safety. Fiat Chrysler said in a statement it advised NHTSA of the security issue “in a reasonable and timely manner.” The company said it’s “conducting a remedial campaign as a safety recall in the interest of protecting its customers” out of “an abundance of caution.” The company said it contacted NHTSA after the hackers informed the company of their plan to publicize the security flaw at Black Hat, including information to facilitate unauthorized and unlawful access to Fiat Chrysler vehicles. Other products The NHTSA notice of its Harman investigation noted that the vulnerability may exist in products it supplies to other companies. Harmon’s website indicates it supplies entertainment systems to BMW AG and as well as the Mercedes-Benz brand of Daimler AG. Both companies said their vehicles were safe. BMW’s information and entertainment system is separated from the safety-relevant driving system by several gateways that implement firewalls, message filtering and message blocking, the company said in an e-mailed statement. Mercedes-Benz spokesman Benjamin Oberkersch said the German manufacturer is taking comprehensive measures to protect its cars from hacking attacks. He declined to comment on the Harman investigation. U.S. Sens. Edward Markey, D-Mass., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., introduced legislation on July 21 that would direct NHTSA and the Federal Trade Commission to establish rules to secure cars and protect consumer privacy. Rating system The senators’ bill would also establish a rating system to inform owners about how secure their vehicles are beyond any minimum federal requirements. The lawmakers released a report in 2014 on gaps in car-security systems, concluding that only two of 16 automakers had the ability to detect and respond to a hacking attack. Markey said in an interview that congressional hearings into the GM ignition switch and airbags made by Takata Corp. showed that understaffed and underfunded regulators have been sometimes slow to react. “This whole issue of computers on wheels is something new,” Markey said. “Based upon what happened over the last several years with Takata and all these other issues, we need to ensure they’ve got the resources.”

Senator 'alarmed' by reports U.S. military families harassed Reuters / August 5, 2015 A U.S. Senator said on Wednesday he was alarmed by reports of an FBI alert that relatives of U.S. military personnel in Colorado and Wyoming were harassed outside their homes by Middle Eastern men who may have had them under surveillance. "I am alarmed by reports out of Denver that military members' families have been harassed outside their homes and may be under surveillance," U.S. Senator Cory Gardner, a Republican from Colorado, said in a statement. "This news comes less than two weeks after FBI Director James Comey, speaking in Denver, warned of the heightened threat from the Islamic State that Colorado specifically faces." According to a copy of the alert published online by Denver's CBS affiliate, the wife of a U.S. military member was approached in front of her home in Colorado in May by two men who stated she was married to a U.S. interrogator. Similar incidents in Wyoming were reported to the FBI throughout June, the alert read. An FBI media coordinator in Denver did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to the copy of the alert published by CBS4, the two men laughed when the woman in Colorado denied their claims that she was married to a U.S. interrogator. They then drove away in a dark-colored, four-door sedan with two other Middle Eastern males in the vehicle. The woman had observed the car in the neighborhood on previous occasions, the alert said. It also said family members of military personnel were confronted by Middle Eastern men outside their homes in Wyoming "on numerous occasions" during June. "The males have attempted to obtain personal information about the military members' family members through intimidation," the copy of the alert read. "The family members have reported feeling scared." Gardner said the FBI had alerted all Colorado law enforcement agencies, and that his office is in contact with the appropriate officials. "I will continue to closely monitor the situation, and I encourage Coloradans to report suspicious behavior to the FBI," his statement said.

Naval officer could face discipline for using handgun at recruiting center The Washington Post / August 5, 2015 In the days after the attack on military facilities in Chattanooga, Tenn., last month, a complicated picture of what occurred began to emerge. Among the details: At least one service member, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Timothy White, opened fire on the shooter using his personal firearm before the shooter was killed by police. The attack on the Naval Reserve support center in Chattanooga left four Marines and a Navy sailor dead, and it spawned a debate about whether the U.S. military should arm more service members who work out of small, unguarded facilities like recruiting stations and reserve centers. But it also spawned questions about whether White could face discipline for carrying and discharging a privately owned handgun on federal property, where it was not allowed. On Saturday, conservative columnist Allen B. West took the issue on, saying that he could "confirm that the United States Navy is bringing charges against Lt. Cmdr Timothy White for illegally discharging a firearm on federal property." He did not identify his source, and followed by criticizing Pentagon leaders, the Navy and President Barack Obama. "Can you imagine the message this sends to ISIS and all the enemies of America?" West wrote, using an acronym for the Islamic State militant group. "We are going to end his career and court-martial a man who drew his sidearm to protect his command, and the assigned Sailors and Marines. " Presidential candidate Jim Webb, D-Va., a Marine war hero and former Navy secretary, also raised concerns Saturday night on Twitter: "Navy charging LCDR Tim White w/ a crime for trying to defend our sailors & Marines in.Chattanooga? He deserves a medal, not an indictment." Perhaps aware of the questions his tweet raised, Webb followed up with more context Sunday. "Before tweeting last night, we confirmed with a defense official that the Navy was seriously considering charging LCDR Timothy White." Webb followed up with: "The charge being considered is illegally discharging a firearm on federal property. No on the record comment was offered." The Navy responded to questions about the case Sunday on its Facebook page, saying that "stories of Navy personnel being charged with an offense are not true. "There is still a long way to go in reviewing the facts of this tragic incident, but at this time we can confirm no service member has been charged with an offense," the Navy added. On Monday, officials at the Pentagon went even further, telling The Washington Post that criminal charges are unlikely in White's case. They spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the open investigation. Navy Cmdr. William J. Marks, a service spokesman, said that White's actions remain under review as part of a broader assessment, known as a preliminary inquiry, into what occurred in Chattanooga. "Until the facts of that preliminary inquiry have all been reviewed, it is simply too early to speculate on what may happen with any particular individual," Marks said. The situation has continued to raise questions, though. Some have noted that the Navy said no service member has been charged with an offense "at this time," leaving the possibility it could occur later. Tens of thousands of supporters also have signed an online petition to the White House for White, saying he and anyone else who opened fire on the shooter - Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez, 24 - deserves a medal for valor rather than a punishment. Among those who have weighed in are actor James Woods ("Yes, Timothy White should be 'punished.' Make him an Admiral") and television personality Montel Williams, a Navy veteran ("Jim the Navy HASN'T charged him. Investigating sure, but NO charge is pending. Let's let them actually do it first?") The attack on the reserve center killed Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan, 40; Staff Sgt. David Wyatt, 35; Sgt. Carson A. Holmquist; Lance Cpl. Squire D. "Skip" Wells, 21; and Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Smith, 26. Abdulazeez was killed by police officers responding to the attack.

Short-Lived Supertruck – The Transconti Remembered .

Euro Truck Test – The New Ford Transcontinental HA4234 Heavy Tractor Commercial Motor / December 19, 1975 When Ford Motor Company launched the Transcontinental heavy truck earlier this year, it stressed that this was a European vehicle—in fact it was Ford's first attempt to break into the top end of this wider market. Designed for gross combination weights which extend well beyond the UK legal limit, the Transcontinental has not shown to its best advantage when tested at the UK’s 32 tons GCW, but now Commercial Motor, as a member of the Euro Truck Press group, has been able to subject a Transcontinental running at a higher gross weight to the rigorous test of the 3,800km route through Belgium, Germany and Sweden which has previously been used for tests of Berliet TR280 and Volvo F89 artics (tractors). At this higher weight (in fact 37.4 tons, or 36 tons 16cwt, as loaded for the test) the Transcontinental seemed more in its element. The Transcontinental tested was a model HA 4234 (HA=tractor / 42 ton GCW / 340hp) model fitted with a turbocharged Cummins NTC 355 engine developing 254kW (340bhp) coupled to a 13-speed Fuller RTO 9513 gearbox. In Britain Commercial Motor itself had already tested the HA 4231 and the HA 3427 versions, both at 32 tons over the familiar Scottish test route. With the 4231 the fuel consumption had proved a trifle disappointing at 47.91it/100km (5.9mpg) although the less powerful (and lighter) 3427 improved this to 44.01it/ 100km (6.4mpg). On both these British tests, the 32-ton limit meant that the relatively high kerb weight of the Ford took a big slice out of the possible payload but this, of course, became a much smaller percentage of the gross weight when running at the higher figure used in our most recent test. In Sweden with its truck speed limit of 70km/h (44mph) on open roads, the Ford consistently averaged over the 7mpg mark while the figure for the Gavle-Uppsala "Economy Run" stage reached a resounding 34.31it/100km (8.2mpg) for an average speed of 69.9km/h (43.3mph). The standard trailer equipment for a Euro Truck test is a tri-axle “TIR” tilt type, but because of the unavailability of such a trailer at the start of the test, a flat trailer was substituted. This helped the Ford considerably in achieving these fuel consumption figures because of the much lower wind drag. Even allowing for this, the Transcontinental has a very high cab so the frontal area of the combination would not be very much lower than a "conventional" cab with a tilt trailer. The hilly Ardennes section had the big Cummins working hard and it was on this portion that the fuel consumption was worst at 65.8 lit/100km (4.3mpg). The Euro Truck drivers felt that this figure could have been improved with a different speed ratio in the gearbox as, even with 12 effective speeds (first being a crawler) the particular gear chosen was either too high or too low. This factor could also have been responsible for the performance of the Transcontinental on the timed hill climbs where, although the times were quick, the overall impression was that the truck should have done better considering the power output of 254kW (340bhp). Apart from the difficult Belgian stages, the fuel consumption of the Ford only once fell below the 6mpg mark and the overall consumption for the whole test finally worked out at 41.41it/100km (6.8mpg), which was a very creditable performance. This consumption was achieved along with a high average speed. Excellent cab It is difficult to comment upon the Ford/Berliet cab without resorting to too many superlatives. Although it is true to say that the basic cab is pure Berliet, nevertheless it has been altered in many ways to suit this specific Ford application—not the least of which is the difference in cab height. The positioning of the instruments has been well thought out and I particularly like the "three o'clock" direction for the gauge needles when all systems are functioning correctly. The swivel vents for cab ventilation are situated in a panel above the top of the windscreen, which means that the driver can adjust them to blow on to his face rather than up his sleeve as invariably happens when the vents are mounted on the dash. The Euro Truck group were for the most part disappointed by the ride of the Ford, feeling that it was on the soft side. Although the set up gave an extremely comfortable ride, we all felt that it detracted from the driver's confidence when cornering— a situation probably aggravated by the relatively high cab. On straight roads, whatever the surface, the combined suspension systems of the truck, cab and seat eliminated most of the bounces although if the surface was very bad, the motion took a long time to die down. The steering also came in for some criticism as being too vague in the straight-ahead position, but this is a complaint which could be leveled at many other heavy trucks. On the twisty stages of the route the steering could not be faulted, being both light and accurate, which made the Transcontinental very easy to handle. It was a pity that the straight-line precision was not of the same standard. Test summary The Transcontinental is an extremely well thought-out piece of engineering—all the more creditable as it is Ford's first attempt at the heavy end of the European market. In terms of driver comfort, it almost goes too far with its soft ride, but this is a matter of individual driver opinion. Fuel consumption is not a matter of opinion, it concerns indisputable figures and, in this area, the performance of the Ford was excellent with an average figure of 41.41it/100km (6.83mpg). The main selling points which Ford is stressing for the Transcontinental — durability and reliability — can be ascertained only when the first customer units start clocking up the miles in service. Discussion with Ford The Transcontinental discussion was held between the Euro Truck group and representatives from both Ford and Cummins. On the engineering side were Mr. Walter Manning (manager, chassis and transmission engineering) and Mr. Colin Bunting (vehicle evaluation engineer) from Ford of England. Mr. Nick Ludwig (manager, heavy truck plans) of Ford of Europe covered the marketing aspects. Mr. George Allen (manager, application accounts — Europe) was on hand Ito represent Cummins. A lot of discussion took place on the transmission specification of the Transcontinental as the two Euro Truck professional drivers—their usual mounts are Volvos — thought that the Fuller gearbox had a balky change in the lower gears. Mr. Manning thought that this was probably due to the driver's initial unfamiliarity with the box. This was a situation aggravated by the clutch brake on the Fuller gearbox. Although it could be used to great advantage when selecting a, gear from rest or for single fast up-shifts it made the change more difficult if the driver pressed the pedal too far on a normal change (the clutch brake only coming in to operation at the very bottom of the pedal travel). Commenting on the fact that several times the split change had activated itself before the driver had intended, Mr. Manning said that, because the Fuller went from direct to overdrive and vice versa by a change in the applied torque, it was possible for a bump in the road to produce a big enough torque change via the tyres for the system to change gear. In effect it was possible to use the split change like an Eaton axle without using the clutch, so it was important not to preselect too early. When asked about the reasons for specifying the Fuller gearbox, the Ford reply was that the other choices fall short of the durability requirements. Mr. Manning said: "With a synchro box, the thermal loading of the synchromesh cones, especially in the lower gears, means that they go out too early. It is therefore a cost of ownership problem balanced against the necessity for driver training on the constant-mesh gearbox." The Cummins engine had required topping up with oil on a couple of occasions and when this was brought up, Mr. Allen said that this was completely out of character for this particular unit. Asked if the change to a lower oil rating had had any effect, the Cummins reply was that the oil specification depended upon the ambient temperature (about 4°C or 40°F being the dividing line) but that this change in SAE rating should not affect the oil consumption. The only recognizable difference would be when starting from cold. The subject of the cooling system brought out some questions on the radiator size and inbuilt safety margins. The radiators throughout the Transcontinental range are the same size owing to rationalization and, answering the query on safety margins, Mr. Allen said that it should be possible to lose about 11 litres (2.4gal) from the 46-litre (10.1gal) circuit without the need to shut down. The larger part of the discussion was taken up with the suspension and steering characteristics of the Transcontinental. Although the Euro Truck members thought that the ride was comfortable enough, they were all in agreement that perhaps it was a little too soft, with the high cab aggravating the effect as far as the driver was concerned. Mr. Manning explained: "The suspension was designed to cater for all surface conditions, but also laden and unladen conditions. I think we can claim that the gap between laden and unladen ride has been narrowed considerably although, in lowering the frequencies over bad roads, a sacrifice had to be made when fully laden on good roads— but we still believe it is a good ride. "The Berliet cab suspension system, we found, gave an unacceptable ride in the unladen condition. If it had worked it would have saved us a lot of money and engineering." Elaborating on the laden/unladen relationship, Mr. Manning commented that with tankers especially, which spend 50 per cent of 'their running time empty, the unladen ride was a very important point. Ford had moved away from a harsh, taut suspension which gave the driver confidence. But he thought that driver familiarity would improve the situation. I asked if it was possible to arrive at a condition where, for example, the seat suspension could get out of phase with the cab suspension. Mr. Manning replied that while it was theoretically possible to find a surface condition which would cause this "we haven't found it yet I " The steering system was criticized mildly by the Euro Truck members who felt that the steering was rather vague. The Ford reply was that the steering box needed to be run in to give its best performance. The torsion-bar control of the steering valve was influenced by the build-up in friction of the various components and, as the friction gradually disappeared during running in, the torsion bar could react as it was designed to. "We think we have the right torsion bar for the job. When a truck veers slightly from its true path, the situation can get worse as the driver overcorrects. It is the first diversion that we have to cure." To get the required durability from the power steering layout, the Ford designers had set themselves the target of getting the pressure in the system below 8275kN/sqm (1200psi). "The seal manufacturers say they can give this durability but we don't think so. Hence the auxiliary ram layout." .

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