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Sultan of Semis Land Line / June 9, 2015 Imagine having amassed incredible wealth that allows you to buy virtually anything you want. You will probably need a heavy-duty truck to haul some of the larger toys, e.g. boats, cars, etc. Since you are super rich, why not customize the truck to your every desire? What would you include? Which manufacturer would you use? The Sultan of Johor (in Southern Malaysia) chose an Australian Mack and built himself quite a truck. A Paul Tan's Automotive News article details the custom-built truck that was revealed at the Brisbane Truck Show in Australia. Specifically desiring a Mack, Sultan Ibrahim Ismail’s people contacted Mack Trucks of Australia to build the truck. Specs include Primaax RADD-A4P air suspension, a custom 89-inch sleeper, 16.1 L MP10 turbodiesel straight-six and more than 2,300 lb-ft of torque. This is all done through an mDrive 12-speed automated manual transmission at a maximum 685 hp. That’s just the mechanics. Wait until you hear about the cosmetic touch-ups done by Viking Trucks. The exterior shows off a custom paint job featuring the Johor flag, the royal crest and the head of a tiger, which is probably in reference to the Johor Darul Ta’zim soccer team, the Tigers. According to Paul Tan, the paint job included three layers of airbrushing, eight layers of pearl paint, and six layers of clear coat. Imagine the man-hours behind the paint job alone. The interior is just as impressive. Seats are emblazoned with the royal crest. Don’t forget that these are seats fit for a sultan. These sewn-in royal crests didn’t use silk. That’s for merely well-off people. No, these crests included 72,000 stitches with real gold thread. South African leather and suede ensure a comfy ride. Although the cost of this machine hasn’t been revealed, I’m sure it’s more than my home. And it should be considering I’d rather live in this truck. Two televisions, two iPads, an Xbox and a PlayStation 4 are included in the sleeper. A kitchenette with Harrah timber flooring, stone bench top, and a hidden electric tool panel can also be found. According to the article, it took 30 people to finish this project, the timber panels taking three months to complete alone. The article also mentions that the Super-Liner will be used to haul the sultan’s cigarette speedboat with the same colors. Or maybe he’ll transport one of the cars in his massive collection that includes: Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Volante Aston Martin DB9 Carbon Edition Aston Martin DBS Aston Martin Virage Vantage Aston Martin Virage Volante Bentley Turbo S Bentley Turbo R Bentley Mulsanne Bugatti Veyron Bleu Centenaire Cadillac Escalade EXT Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe Cadillac Eldorado Bicentennial Edition Cadillac Fleetwood Cadillac Fleetwood Limo Cadillac de Ville Cadillac Coupe de Ville Cadillac de Ville Limo Cadillac CTS-V Cadillac XLR-V Chrysler 300 SRT8 Chrysler 300 Limo Chrysler Windsor Chrysler Windsor Convertible Chevrolet Camaro Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Dodge Challenger Plum Crazy Dodge Challenger SRT 8 Dodge Charger SRT 8 Dodge Viper Dodge Ram 1500 Dodge Ram 5500 Heavy Duty Dodge Ram SRT 10 Ferrari 512TR Ferrari 512M Ferrari 458 Italia Ferrari 458 Spider Tailor-made Ferrari 308 GTSi Ferrari 599 GTO Ferrari LaFerrari Ford GT Ford F-650 Ford Mustang GT Ford Mustang Mach 1 GMC Sierra Z71 GMC Suburban GMC Yukon XL GMC Yukon Denali GMC Yukon Denali XL Holden Caprice Holden Commodore Royal Escort Cars HSV R8 Tourer HSV Grange HSV GTS HSV Maloo R8 Hummer H3 Jaguar XJ220 Lincoln Continental Lincoln Continental Mark V-Collector Series Lincoln Town Car Limousine Lamborghini Aventador Lamborghini LM002 'Rambo-Lambo' Lamborghini Espada Series 1 Lamborghini Jalpa Lamborghini Murcielago Lexus LFA Mercedes FAB Design AM-1000 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Mercedes-Benz SL600 Mercedes-Benz 300TE-24 Mercedes-Benz SL73 AMG Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren MG TC Superchager McLaren P1 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Mercedes-Benz 600 Landaulet Nissan GT-R Nissan GT-R NISMO Pagani Zonda S Pagani Huayra Rolls-Royce Phantom Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé Aviator Collection Rolls-Royce Phantom V Rolls-Royce Ghost Rolls-Royce Wraith Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé Waterspeed Collection Rolls-Royce Celestial Shelby Mustang Shelby Mustang GT 500 Shelby Mustang GT 500 Super Snake Shelby Mustang GT 500 'Eleanor' Mustang Shelby Mustang 1000 Tesla Roadster If you had all the money in the world, how would you build your truck?

Big Rigs / October 15, 2015 THE most glamorous and expensive truck ever to roll out of Mack Trucks Australia’s factory has been handed over to its new royal owner - Malaysia's Sultan of Johor. The dazzling Super-Liner boasts an array of incredible features, including a luxury leisure deck, gold-thread embroidery and even a golden tiger hood ornament. Its price tag is a well-kept secret, but it's certainly the highest ever for a Mack truck, easily smashing the previous record of $481,000 for a customised US-built rig. Sultan Ibrahim Ismail turned to Mack Trucks Australia, based at Wacol in Brisbane, when he decided he needed a new royal rig to transport his private powerboat around Malaysia. Company vice-president Dean Bestwick flew to Singapore to meet the Sultan in person a year ago and was blown away by the design brief he received. "The fanciest extra in most Aussie trucks is a microwave or a small fridge," Mr Bestwick said. "We'd never contemplated the features that have been included in His Majesty's truck. "This is the most luxurious truck to have been built in Australia and probably the planet." The customised features include: A specially-built sleeper unit 80 per cent larger than standard and fully upholstered with imported South African leather.Royal emblems embroidered into the front seats with 72,000 stitches of gold thread.A gold tiger hood ornament specially commissioned from Wallace Bishop.A rear leisure deck complete with sun shades, deck chairs and pull-out barbecue.Solid jarrah timber flooring throughout the cab, sleeper unit and rear leisure deck.A six-camera CCTV system linked to two flatscreen TVs inside the vehicle.Police-standard flashing lights and an ear-popping four air-horns.Programmable strip-lighting built into the full length of the cab and deck flooring.A stone-topped kitchen area including fridge, microwave and grill.Extra-wide Michelin X1 tyres for the smoothest possible ride.A Bose surround sound system and X-Box and Playstation consoles.Sultan Ibrahim said he was delighted with the end result and praised the 35-strong Mack team who worked on the rig. "I have always appreciated Australia's engineering skills and have collected a few Holden cars over the years," the Sultan said. "Mack has done a wonderful job and I'm looking forward to showing its workmanship to the people of Johor as soon as the Super-Liner is shipped over." The Sultan is a transport enthusiast and his private car collection includes Aston Martins, Ferraris and Bentleys, as well as 10 Cadillacs and eight Rolls-Royces. The truck, which boasts 685hp and a top speed of 100km/h, has been painted in the red, white and blue colours of Johor. Its other special features include external LED lighting, heat and sound insulation, a 5kva generator and fully-ducted air-conditioning system. But Mack Trucks Australia’s work isn't quite done. A team of engineers will fly to Singapore to unload the truck after it is shipped from the Port of Brisbane and will then carry out a test run with the rig towing the Sultan's powerboat. Photo gallery and video - http://www.bigrigs.com.au/news/mack-unveils-rig-fit-royalty/2807931/

Religious cult members beat child to death in New York New York Daily News / October 14, 2015 Determined to get two brothers to “confess their sins,” members of a secretive upstate New York church beat one of the teenagers to death and badly brutalized the other, police said Wednesday. Among those now charged with killing Lucas Leonard, 19, and injuring his 17-year-old brother Christopher during a “counseling session” at the Word of Life Church, are his parents and a sister, officials said. “During the counseling session, the session turned physical,” said Chief Michael Inserra of the police in New Hartford, outside Utica. Over the course of several hours, the brothers were ordered to “confess to prior sins and ask for forgiveness,” the chief said. “We have not determined what this punishment was for.” But, said Inserra, “We know there were fists and feet involved” in the punishment. Inserra spoke a day after the victim’s parents, Bruce and Deborah Leonard, were charged with first-degree manslaughter, and police revealed their sons had been brutally beaten on their genitals, abdomens, backs and thighs. Christopher Leonard remains hospitalized and in serious condition, the chief said. Also arrested was the victims’ 33-year-old sister, Sarah Ferguson, who along with three other church members was charged with second-degree assault. Inserra said more members of the church, described by neighbors as a cult, are under investigation. Meanwhile, seven children — four of them Ferguson’s — have been removed from the church by state child welfare workers, Inserra said. The investigation was launched after Leonard’s parents showed up at a local hospital Monday with their badly beaten son, Inserra said. Lucas died at the hospital and an autopsy revealed he had died of blunt-force trauma, the chief said. Within hours, a police SWAT team descended on the Leonards’ home in Clayville and the church, where they found his brother on the second floor after several hours of searching. “He wasn’t in hiding,” said Inserra. “But family members weren’t making him available.” Bruce Leonard, 65, and his 59-year-old wife, Deborah, both pleaded not guilty during their arraignment Monday and were dispatched to the Oneida County jail after they were unable to raise $100,000 bail. The four other suspects — Ferguson, Joseph Irwin, 26, of Chadwicks, David Morey, 26, of Utica and Linda Morey, 54, also of Utica — were each ordered held on $50,000 bail. The Leonards’ neighbors said the couple homeschooled their kids and made them read the Bible for two hours every day. They said the children weren’t allowed to have sleepovers and were barred from Halloween trick-or-treating. Inserra declined to comment on reports that the church is a cult. But residents who live nearby told the Syracuse Post-Standard that members would rarely venture out in the daylight hours and those who did often were men wearing what they described as “long, black trench coats.” They said they would hear strange chanting coming from the building as late as 3 a.m. A Post-Standard reporter who ventured inside the building Tuesday found police tape across two bathrooms, one labeled “Adam” and the other “Eve.” The reporter also said there was a framed message hanging on one wall that read, in part, “We have been commissioned through the written word of God to reach out to those who have not experienced the love of Jesus Christ in their lives. Through the systematic training up of saints.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Update: (Reuters / November 24, 2015) Seven people who prosecutors say were involved in the beating death of a teenager during a counseling session at an upstate New York church were indicted on second-degree murder charges on Tuesday by a grand jury. Lucas Leonard, 19, was beaten to death in October over 10 hours during a counseling session at the Word of Life Church in Chadwicks, New York, about 50 miles (80 km) east of Syracuse. His brother, Christopher, 17, received blunt force injuries when he was repeatedly struck during the same session, which was initiated because Lucas Leonard wanted to leave the congregation [aka. Jim Jones-like cult]. The grand jury's indictment charged the brothers' father, Bruce Leonard, 65, with 13 criminal counts including second-degree murder, kidnapping and gang assault. Charges of second-degree murder, kidnapping and gang assault were also brought against church pastor Tiffanie Irwin, 29; Traci Irwin, David Morey, 26, Linda Morey, 54, and Joseph Irwin, 26, who were all congregants at the church; and Sarah Ferguson, 33, the half-sister of Lucas and Christopher. An eighth person, church deacon Daniel Irwin, 24, was indicted on charges of second-degree manslaughter, kidnapping and gang assault. The brothers' mother, Deborah Leonard, 59, was not named in the grand jury indictment but will appear in Oneida County Court on Dec. 2 to face separate charges of first-degree assault against Lucas and second-degree assault in Christopher’s beating, according to her lawyer Devin Garramone. Deborah Leonard was initially charged with manslaughter, but Garramone said that charge was dropped. Christopher Leonard, during a preliminary hearing last month, testified that he and his brother were beaten with an electric extension cord fashioned into a whip. Tiffanie Irwin organized the counseling [torture] session. Christopher said he attempted to resuscitate his brother before the boys were loaded into two separate vans. Lucas was transported to St. Luke’s hospital in Utica, New York, where he was pronounced dead. Most of those indicted in the case remain in jail on bail of tens of thousands of dollars each, while David and Linda Morey have been released on bail of $50,000 each. .

Australasian Transport News / October 14, 2015 A Senate committee has praised Australia’s truck manufacturing sector for its innovation and customer focus. It says it will encourage the government to consider new ways to offer its support. The cross-party Economics References committee invited presentations from the Truck Industry Council (TIC) and manufacturers at its meeting in Melbourne on October 8. Council CEO Tony McMullan says he was able to deliver a rare "good news" story of local manufacturing keeping up with imported competition. "We have been manufacturing trucks here since the early 1950s and the total is now above 340,000 vehicles," McMullan says. "In every case their local content by value exceeds their imported content. "Last year, 48 percent of heavy trucks (above 16.5 tonnes) were designed and manufactured in Australia with an average sale price in excess of $200,000. "This strength is showing no signs of abating." Tasmanian senator David Bushby says it is clear truck manufacturers have successfully innovated their designs and processes to meet the changing demands of their customers. "The truck manufacturing industry is a genuine Australian success story which plays an important role in designing and manufacturing high quality trucking inventory for the demands of the local transport industry," he says. "Through innovation, tailoring product and being acutely connected with customer requirements, the industry has punched above its weight in remaining competitive against foreign competitors." Bushby, along with fellow committee members senators Chris Ketter (Queensland), Ricky Muir, Kim Carr, and Janet Rice (all Victoria) thanked the TIC for revealing an-often forgotten side to Australia’s automotive sector. "I look forward to witnessing the future success of the Australian truck manufacturing industry and as a member of the Senate Economics Committee I will explore any strategies that the industry puts forward to generate further local production stimulus," he says. The TIC is lobbying for well-designed incentives and support to help the industry engage in more advanced manufacturing processes and allow local transport operators to modernise their fleets. "There is a strategic imperative for Australia to have a more modern, productive, safer, cleaner and greener truck fleet," McMullan says. "There is much to be gained from a program that modernises the Australian truck fleet through the provision of investment allowances."

Diesel News Australia / October 14, 2015 This is the stuff the Australian trucking industry is all about. This video of Owen and Liz Schmidt’s operation in North Queensland pushes all of the buttons, about tough conditions, Aussie ingenuity, working together, etc. As a whole, the industry likes to think it is all like this. Of course, the reality for most is very different, but this encapsulates he essence of why so many are so loyal to the industry.

Truck Drivers in ‘Exceptionally Short Supply,’ Fed Says Transport Topics / October 14, 2015 Truck drivers are reported to be in “exceptionally short supply” in some regions of the country, especially in the New York, St. Louis and Kansas City areas, the Federal Reserve said in a report. Despite the shortage of drivers, sturdy demand for trucking services was noted in the Atlanta and Dallas districts, the Fed said in its Beige Book report released Oct. 14. The survey is based on reports gathered by regional Fed banks to give an anecdotal picture of the economy. The overall economy continued to expand across most sectors and regions of the country from mid-August through early October, according to the Fed. Contacts in trucking and other modes of transportation reported an ongoing shortage of qualified operators and technicians in the St. Louis region, according to the report. The Kansas City district reported it was experiencing a shortage of skilled technicians as well as truck drivers. In the Richmond district, an executive at a national trucking firm headquartered in the region reported, “Demand was a little softer because their customers' inventory levels were high.” A seasonal pickup is expected to begin in the next few weeks, the executive said. In the Atlanta region, trucking companies reported healthy demand, mostly attributed to growth in e-commerce. However, flatbed volume —especially steel shipments —showed some slowing in growth. Rail contacts in the Atlanta region told the Fed total rail carload volume declined slightly due to year-over-year, double-digit decreases in shipments of coal, iron and steel scrap, and metals. District port contacts reported strong demand across all types of cargo, according to the report. The Chicago district reported the heavy-duty truck, auto and aerospace industries continued to experience solid gains, and most other industries saw limited growth. Dallas trucking volumes rose, and one contact told the regional fed it had added capacity even as rail cargo volumes declined, especially in shipments of petroleum products and nonmetallic metals, including sand used in drilling. The Fed releases its Beige Book report eight times a year. The report, which covered Aug. 24-Oct 4, was prepared by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

General Motors executive vice president Mark Reuss discusses the new Chevy Colorado diesel model truck. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2015-10-14/chevy-set-to-launch-colorado-diesel

Vlad, I was in south China for the Streamline launch and saw a retired 4-door CA10 fire truck being used to water the grass at a residential area. And it was all-wheel drive. I looked in the cab and saw it only had around 5,000 kilometers on it.......it was in like-new condition.

We no longer have the money, capability and national will to be the world’s policeman. And I ordinarily don’t believe in interfering in the internal affairs of other countries. (Why the Obama administration has decided to bypass Congress and send U.S. troops to Cameroon to engage in combat under the War Powers Act, rather than allow African Union troops handle this African problem, is another mystery). But again and again, an ordinarily prudent person is forced to wonder why our government wants to be in bed with a country like Saudi Arabia which does NOT to any degree share the ethics, morals and values of civilized countries (we still claim to be one of those). How is it possible that this country will now chair the United Nation Human Rights Council, and the United States didn't veto this absurd appoint (the certain will of the American people) ??? ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Saudi man sentenced to be beheaded and crucified for attending anti-government protest The Guardian / October 14, 2015 The mother of a Saudi protester sentenced to death by beheading and crucifixion has begged Barack Obama to intervene to save her son’s life. In her first interview with foreign media, Nusra al-Ahmed, the mother of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, whose case has made headlines around the world, described the intended punishment as savage and “backwards in the extreme”. Human rights groups including Amnesty International and Reprieve, the US talkshow host Bill Maher and the British prime minister, David Cameron, have all weighed in with calls for clemency to stop Nimr, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, from being beheaded and then crucified. The oil-rich state is facing increasing diplomatic scrutiny over the severity of its penal system as it takes over the chair of the UN human rights council. She said her son had been detained sometime after joining Shia demonstrators in the eastern coastal city of Qatif seeking equal religious rights in the Sunni-majority country. The official charges leveled against Nimr included attending a protest, using his phone to encourage further support for the demonstrations and possessing a gun, an accusation which the family strongly denies. “They were peaceful and civilized and legitimate and so my fear was, I was afraid for my son, but inside I agreed with them in principle.” Visiting after his arrest, she says he has been tortured. “When I visited my son for the first time I didn’t recognize him. I didn’t know whether this really was my son Ali or not. I could clearly see a wound on his forehead. Another wound in his nose. They disfigured it. Even his body, he was too thin.” “[When] I started talking to him [he told me that] during the interrogation [he was] being kicked, slapped, of course his teeth fell out … For a month, he was urinating blood. He said he felt like a mass of pain, his body was no more.” She still had hope her son could be saved from his punishment imposed under Saudi’s sharia penal system and described the sentence – which would involve him being beheaded before his decapitated body is hung from a cross in public – as having been plucked out of the dark ages. “I feel that one’s very being is repelled at such a ruling … It’s backwards in the extreme. No sane and normal human being would rule against a child of 17 years old using such a sentence. And why? He didn’t shed any blood, he didn’t steal any property. Where did they get it [this sentence]? From the dark ages?” She believes the sentence was intended to punish her son for his Shia faith. “I don’t expect that anyone normal and sane has heard of such a thing, [no] normal person who is not sectarian would find such a thing acceptable. That’s why you find that always it’s sectarian people who are happy with such things because he’s a Shia.” Calling on the US president to intervene she said: “He is the head of this world and he can, he can interfere and rescue my son … To rescue someone from harm, there is nothing greater than that. I mean my son and I are simple people and we don’t carry any significance in this world but despite that, if he [Obama] carried out this act, I feel it would raise his esteem in the eyes of the world. He would be rescuing us from a great tragedy.” On Tuesday the UK government said it would be withdrawing its bid for a £5.9m contract to deliver training for Saudi prisons. That move came on the same day that Cameron said he would write to Riyadh to implore Saudi authorities not to carry out a punishment of 360 lashes on a British pensioner caught transporting homemade wine in his car. Last week Cameron appealed to the newly crowned king not to carry out the death sentence on Nimr. The Saudi ambassador to the UN said, “We respectfully request the world to respect our systems and our judicial processes, and our laws and regulations, and not to interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.” Mouallimi said the kingdom would uphold the UN charter on human rights. “The application of sharia law as far as human rights is concerned is the highest form of human rights,” he said, adding: “We believe that we are holding ourselves to the highest standards. If that doesn’t please someone here or there, that’s their problem not ours.” The Saudi UK embassy has said it rejects “any form of interference in its internal affairs”.

AP FACT CHECK: Clinton revises history in Democratic debate Hillary Clinton revised history in the Democratic debate when insisting she's not a flip-flopper on a trade deal she promoted as secretary of state but turned against as a presidential candidate. A look at some of Clinton's claims in the debate: CLINTON on the Trans-Pacific Partnership: "I did say, I hoped it would be the gold standard'" of trade agreements. THE FACTS: Clinton did not say anything about mere hope in her speeches around the world in support of the trade deal. She roundly endorsed the deal taking shape. In a November 2012 speech in Australia, she declared the Trans-Pacific deal "sets the gold standard in trade agreements," a sentiment she echoed in many venues. Clinton said in the debate that when she looked at the final agreement last week, "it didn't meet my standards." The final agreement, however, dropped or changed some provisions that liberal activist groups - the wing of the party she is assiduously courting at this stage of the campaign - had strongly criticized. --- CLINTON on her email practices: "I have been as transparent as I know to be. ... I said I have answered all the questions." THE FACTS: Clinton has yet to explain how the server was set up and serviced, whether she informed the State Department about her decision to use the private system and, most important, how it was protected from hacking attempts. Russia-based hackers tried at least five times to trick her into infecting her computer system with malware in 2011, The Associated Press learned, and her server was hit by attempted cyber intrusions in 2014 from China, South Korea and Germany. Her server also was connected to the Internet in ways that made it more vulnerable to hackers. But her campaign has repeatedly declined to address these details. -- CLINTON: "My plan would enable anyone to go to a public college or university tuition-free. You would not have to borrow money for tuition." THE FACTS: Free for the students, but someone has to pay. Clinton would shift more college costs onto taxpayers and away from parents and students. The Clinton plan is bound to cost more than the $35 billion per year over 10 years projected by her campaign. This is because more students would probably switch to public universities on the potential to graduate without debt, raising costs for the government and potentially leaving many modestly endowed private institutions in the lurch. The potential of a debt-free education would also depend on states providing reliable money streams and controlling costs - both major sources of uncertainty. But the Clinton plan would also expose a sharp generational divide. New college students would be helped, but the 40 million Americans who already owe a combined $1.2 trillion in education debt would receive little aid other than refinancing at lower rates. Clinton did not speak about the costs to the treasury of what she proposes. --- CLINTON on her Syria strategy as secretary of state: "What I said was we had to put together a coalition ... and yes, it included Arabs, people in the region, because what I worry about is what will happen with ISIS gaining more territory, having more reach, and frankly posing a threat to our friends and neighbors in the region and far beyond." THE FACTS: Clinton is ignoring much of the context of her coalition-building effort in Syria: It was designed to push Syrian President Bashar Assad from power, not target the Islamic State or other extremist groups fighting among the opposition. As secretary, Clinton helped spearhead meetings of the U.S. and various Arab and European countries frustrated by the escalating conflict in Syria. The coalition was concerned primarily with helping armed opposition groups better defend themselves and directing political groups to coalesce behind a common, inclusive platform for a post-Assad Syria. At that time, the Islamic State didn't exist. But al-Qaida and other terrorist groups did. And even as they gained a foothold and became increasingly prominent among the anti-Assad rebels, the coalition Clinton worked on didn't come up with a military plan for combating them.

If our government wants to hand out free APCs to foreign countries, the least it can do is spend that $25 million worth of U.S. tax dollars in America, by acquiring these vehicles from U.S. companies like Oshkosh, Navistar and others. Why isn't the government instead "giving" these countries 62 of the MANY leftover late model MRAPS that they don't know what to do with and can't give away fast enough? Nothing like efficient use of American tax dollars.

IHS Jane’s 360 / October 7, 2015 The US military's Africa Command (AFRICOM) has ordered French “Bastion” armored personnel carriers (APCs) from Volvo Group subsidiary ACMAT Defense for several African countries via Volvo Group’s Mack Defense unit. The USD25 million contract was announced on 25 September when the US Department of Defense said that Mack Defense will supply 62 APCs (armored personnel carrier) to Cameroon, Ethiopia, Somalia, Tunisia, and Uganda on behalf of AFRICOM, but did not identify the vehicles or say how many each country will receive. Mack Defense told IHS Jane's on 6 October that all the vehicles are Bastion APCs: a type made by the French company ACMAT, which is owned by Renault Trucks Defense. Mack Defense and Renault Trucks Defense are part of the Volvo group. The original Bastion APC consists of the chassis from ACMAT's VLRA range fitted with an armoured body that offers protection up to the STANAG 4569 standard. It is now also available with a new high-mobility chassis with independent suspension. It has a gross vehicle weight of 12 tonnes and can carry up to 10 people, including the driver. Mack Defense said 32 Bastion APCs will be delivered to Somalia next year, 17 for the Ugandan contingent of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and another 13 for AMISOM's Somali contingent. (The Somali National Army operates alongside AMISOM, but is not formally part of the force.) Four will be delivered to Tunisia, 15 to Cameroon, and 12 to Ethiopia before the end of October 2016, according to Mack Defense. All the countries will also receive at least one spares kit. Pictures and further information - http://www.acmat.eu/Defense/BASTION/BASTION-APC

No death penalty??? Where is the justice for making a child begin its innocent life this way? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Colorado man gets life for kidnapping, raping toddler for porn Reuters / October 13, 2015 A Colorado man has been sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping and raping an 11-month-old toddler. He took the child from a couple he was staying with in California and sexually abused the child to produce pornography that he shared online was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday, prosecutors said. A federal jury found Shawn McCormack, 31, of Colorado Springs guilty on four counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of kidnapping during a four-day trial in Fresno, California, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Anthony W. Ishii presided over those proceedings in April, and on Tuesday he imposed the sentence on McCormack, the statement said. The trial heard how McCormack, under the pretense of befriending the child's parents, stayed as an overnight guest on multiple occasions at their home in Bakersfield, California. Several times, the statement said, he snuck their toddler out of the home in the middle of the night and recorded himself sexually abusing the child at locations including his truck and a nearby motel. He then returned to the house before the couple awakened in the morning, it said. Leslie Caldwell, Assistant U.S. Attorney General for the Justice Department's criminal division, said "McCormack’s depraved actions in this case are the stuff of nightmares. While posing as a trusted friend and house guest, McCormack kidnapped his hosts’ toddler child and sexually abused the child in local motels and parked cars. Through tireless efforts, law enforcement was able to rescue the victim from further abuse and ensure that McCormack never again will victimize another child.” "While posing as a trusted friend and house guest, McCormack kidnapped his hosts' toddler child and sexually abused the child in local motels and parked cars," Caldwell said. McCormack shared the pornographic images online, where they were seen by an undercover investigator with the Toronto Police Services, prosecutors said. McCormack also recorded and distributed his sexual abuse of a second child, they said. He was identified after Homeland Security Investigations agents in Boston, while carrying out a forensic analysis of a computer belonging to another person, viewed copies it held of the recordings and images distributed by McCormack. "After the agents identified the date, time and motel room in which one of the videos had been produced, they learned that McCormack had rented that motel room on the night when the recording was created," prosecutors said. U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner of the Eastern District of California said McCormack's "vile and heart-breaking" acts might have continued undetected for years, if not for the "imaginative, dogged, and painstaking work" of investigators. Shawn McCormack, 28, was previously charged in September of 2011 with one count of producing child pornography during 2009. The new indictment adds three more counts, one involving the same victim and two involving a second victim.

New York man beats 17-month-old boy to death Newsday / October 13, 2015 A Uniondale man, described by the Nassau police commissioner as a "monster," was ordered held on a $20 million bond Tuesday after being charged with fatally beating his girlfriend's toddler son. Lord Pardo, 26, a factory worker, was charged in First District Court with second-degree murder in the death of Mason Robinson, 18 months old. The New Cassel boy had been left in his care by the boy's mother, officials said. Polcie said Pardo texted Erestine saying that her baby had stopped breathing after he fell off the bed. Mason was rushed to North Shore LIJ Syosset Hospital, where he pronounced dead at about 3 p.m. Sunday. On Tuesday, officials said the baby was "severely beaten" and that is what caused his death. The autopsy revealed that Mason had fractured ribs, a fractured skull, a lacerated liver and diaphragm, as well as massive internal bleeding. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide. "It is clear that the defendant has no soul," Thomas Krumpter, acting Nassau County police commissioner said at a news conference. "He is truly a monster." "This child was murdered," the prosecutor said. Acting District Attorney Madeline Singas said, "This was no accident. This baby was severely beaten and those injuries caused his death." Nassau District Court Judge Darlene Harris ordered Pardo held on a $20 million bond or $10 million cash bail. "Nothing is more despicable than the murder of a child, a helpless and defenseless child, at the hands of someone who is entrusted to take care for that child," Singas said. "My heart goes out to this baby's mother."

Transport Engineer / October 13, 2015 Luton Borough Council is replacing its fleet of 26 RCVs (refuse collection vehicles) with new Euro-6 DAF CF 290 FAG 6x2 twin-steer rigids – 23 mid-steer and three rear-steer, all fitted with all fitted with Allison 3200 series fully-automatic gearboxes. All are 26-tonne gvw trucks with four-plus-one crew cab conversions by Esteppe, in the Netherlands, and all have been fitted with 21m³ Variopress rear-end loader bodywork and Rotary three bin lifters, from Faun Zoeller. They also have conventionally-mounted cabs, which fleet transport manager Simon Smith says provide improved visibility on collection rounds in narrow streets. “Our decision to use conventionally-mounted cabs goes against the norm of the more common low-entry option,” agrees Smith. “However, the normal height cab on the DAF allows the driver to set his truck with greater confidence when manoeuvring into tight spaces, while the crew-cab conversion still provides excellent accessibility for the crew,” he explains. “On the streets of Luton it’s a far better solution.” Ten DAF 26-tonne CF 6x2s have now been delivered into the Bedfordshire local authority with a further nine on programmed delivery before the end of the year and the remainder over the next two years. “DAF’s twin-steer configuration suits the weight distribution of a rear-end loader as the weight is heavily biased to the rear,” continues Smith. “The twin-steer set-up means excellent handling characteristics while at the same time reducing the risk of damage to the road surface when the vehicle has to make tight turns,” he adds. Smith also says that Euro 6 fuel economy has already shown an improvement over equivalent Euro-5 DAF trucks. “A benchmark fuel economy figure is very difficult to gauge,” he comments. “Refuse collection is a stop-start operation for up to eight hours a day and, though the truck is stationary, engine revs are often high while powering on-board equipment,” he continues. “[but] we have noticed that, overall, the Euro 6 models are using noticeably less fuel, and that’s come as quite a surprise.” .

Truck drivers could become an endangered species Memphis Business Journal / October 12, 2015 With the U.S. facing a truck driver shortage, industry experts discussed the possibility of truck drivers becoming an endangered species at the The Journal of Commerce Group’s 2015 Inland Distribution Conference Oct. 8. In its most recent report, the American Trucking Associations said the shortage of U.S. tractor trailer drivers has reached 48,000. A journalist, who has been covering trucking for more than 30 years; a truck driver, who has been on the road for more than 35 years; and the CEO of TeamOne Logistics came together to discuss how the logistics industry can address the shortage at Inland 2015. Allen Boyd, Wal-Mart Transportation Driver and America’s Road Team Captain, who has been on the road for 35 years with more than 3 million accident-free miles, said the industry needs to utilize the drivers who are already on the road by shortening their wait time at the dock. “If we can figure out how to keep that driver moving, the [shortage] numbers aren’t that big of a deal,” he said. Boyd said current truck drivers could be turning away from the profession out of frustration. “If my wheels don’t turn, I don’t get paid,” Boyd said. “I got a call from a friend of mine just the other day who waited a day and a half on a load and he didn’t get paid nothing.” Boyd said the industry needs to remember truck drivers are also dads, husbands and people who like to go home. “If I’m sitting at the dock even four, five, six, seven hours I’m looking at that as taking away time with my family,” he said. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of U.S. truck drivers peaked in 2007, then fell 13.4 percent from 2007 to 2010. Since the recession, that number has slowly recovered, growing 2.5 percent in 2014. Annual driver wages lag compared to the national average. Overall , truck drivers are paid just below $42,000 annually, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The driver wage gap peaked in 2013 and narrowed to 11.2 percent in 2014. Page Siplon, CEO, TeamOne Logistics, said the trucking industry is not doing the best with what is has in both veterans like Boyd and untapped millennials. While the average pay is lower than the national average, the typical age of a truck driver is much higher than the national average. Siplon said the industry is naive to think millennials are going to suddenly want to drive a truck. “We need to put processes in place that fit the needs of millennials who grew up using technology,” he said. “If you hand them paper logs they’ll that’s what my grandfather used. Where’s the iPad app?” William Cassidy, senior editor, Trucking, JOC.com, IHS Maritime & Trade, said a market flooded with unqualified drivers is also contributing to the shortage. For example, Progressive Transportation, the asset-based arm of Dallas-based third-party logistics company TTS, receives 5,000 applications a month, but can only hire 100 of those people, he said. “They don’t fit the qualifications set by that company, which are getting tighter all the time,” Cassidy said. There are moves companies can make that integrate truck drivers into company culture and make them a more integral part of the supply chain, Siplon said. Boyd said Wal-Mart has done an excellent job allowing drivers to communicate directly with customers and individual Walmart stores to address loading problems. “Involving drivers in everyday business makes them feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves,” he said.

Truck drivers wanted. Pay: $73,000 CNN Money / October 9, 2015 America needs a lot more truck drivers. There will be a shortage of nearly 50,000 truckers in the United States by the end of this year, according a new report by the American Trucking Associations (ATA). That's up from a shortage of 30,000 drivers just two years ago, and 20,000 drivers a decade ago. American businesses need truck drivers to move goods around. And not having enough of them affects daily deliveries of everything from essentials like food and gas to supermarkets and gas stations to online Amazon orders to people's homes. It's a job that cannot be shipped overseas and has the potential to drive the cost of goods higher and ultimately hurt the U.S. economy. No wonder businesses are willing to pay up for it. Trucker compensation has been going up 8% to 12% a year in recent years, according to Bob Costello, chief economist at the ATA. That's a lot higher than wages for the rest of Americans, which have barely budged recently. The median annual wage for a trucker that works for a private fleet, such as a truck driver employed by Walmart, is $73,000, according to ATA. The Labor Department pegs the median annual salary for all truck drivers at around $40,000. But it isn't an easy job to fill. There's 1.6 million truck drivers in America. Of those, about 750,000 are "for hire" truckers, meaning they work for a truck company that's hired by another company, such as a grocery chain, to deliver its product. These truckers are sometimes on the road for 10 days at a time before coming home, Costello says. At a time when work-life balance issues such as paid leave and flexible schedules are gaining spotlight in the American economy, trucking companies are challenged to recruit and retain workers. Add on an aging workforce and a lack of interest from young workers, and you've got a shortage. The median age of truckers is 49, according to ATA. The median age for all American workers is about 42, according to Labor Department. Costello admits that the industry is having the toughest time retaining young workers. Trucking companies also have a tough time recruiting women, who have become a larger part of the workforce than in previous generations. Women make up 47% of the total U.S. workforce, yet only 6% of all truck drivers are women, according data from the Labor Department and ATA. To qualify, truckers have to be 21, they must a commercial trucking license and pass a background check and drug test. Those requirements haven't changed in years, experts say. However, what's changed is that there are fewer people willing to be on the road for days at a time and put in the long hours that the truck-driving lifestyle demands. "They're having a very difficult time being able to recruit or retain [young] drivers," says Charlie Myers, vice president of Trucker Path, an app for the trucking industry.

Owner/Driver / October 14, 2015 The US truck driver shortage is tipped to become significantly worse within 10 years and bring with it economic disruption unless steps are taken to address the issue. A new report from the American Trucking Association (ATA) paints a bleak reality confronting US trucking operators and the broader economy due to a dearth of drivers. It expects the shortage to peak at 47,500 by the end of the year – up from 38,000 in 2014 – and to balloon to more than 175,000 within the next 10 years. "Looking ahead to 2016, if the economy picks up slightly, like we expect, the shortage could quickly jump by 26,000 to 73,500. If nothing changes in the trend line by 2024, the shortage could be as high as 174,500," the ATA’s report says. "We are not saying that the shortage will reach that level; instead, this is more of a warning to the industry and the broader supply chain of what could happen if things don’t change. "If the trend stays on course, there will likely be severe supply chain disruptions resulting in significant shipping delays, higher inventory carrying costs, and perhaps shortages at stores." The report estimates the industry will need to hire a total of 890,000 new drivers over the next decade, or an average of 89,000 per year. Most of those will be to replace retiring drivers, with the ATA saying they will account for 45 per cent of new hires. The second largest factor (33 per cent) will be due to industry growth. Trucks are responsible for almost 70 per cent of all freight moved in the US, so the ATA says it is unlikely different transport modes could be used to offset the driver shortage. SOLUTIONS TO THE SHORTAGE The report recommends a number of measures to attract and retain drivers, including pay increases, more at-home time and better treatment from the supply chain. "Compounding the already difficult lifestyle, drivers often complain of mistreatment at shipping and receiving facilities. Complaints range from restricting access to restrooms to having to wait extended periods of time before the trailer is loaded or unloaded," the ATA says. "Improving the experience for drivers at drop-off and pickup locations would provide for a more attractive career choice. All companies in the supply chain, including trucking companies, shippers, and receivers, need to treat drivers with the respect that they deserve." The report goes on to suggest a change to the age limit on people driving trucks across state borders. "Interstate driving currently has an age minimum of 21. The 18-20 year old segment has the highest rate of unemployment of any age group, yet this is an entire segment that the industry cannot access," it says. "Often, these individuals obtain employment in construction or the service industry as they can start their careers at a younger age." Trucking also needs to do more to boost the number of women working in the industry. While females make up 47 per cent of the US workforce, the ATA says they comprise only 6 per cent of truck drivers. It adds that autonomous trucks may in future be an effective means of addressing driver shortages, but has warned that driverless trucks on the highway are still many years away and companies "should not count on this being an option for some time". A shortage of numbers is not the only problem, however, with companies reporting there is a lack of quality drivers to choose from. "An important thing we learned in this analysis is that this isn’t strictly a numbers problem, it is a quality problem too," ATA chief economist Bob Costello says. "Fleets consistently report receiving applications for open positions, but that many of those candidates do not meet the criteria to be hired. According our research, 88 percent of carriers said most applicants are not qualified." The report says many companies are highly selective when it comes to hiring drivers and have strict conditions relating to driving history and experience.

Mesilla Valley to Equip Allison TC10 on a Third of Its Fleet Heavy Duty Trucking / October 13, 2015 Mesilla Valley Transport will equip its 2015-2016 Class 8 truck purchases with Allison’s TC10 automatic transmission, the carrier announced. After conducting comparisons of manual, automated-manual and automatic transmissions, Mesilla made the decision to go with the 10-speed Allison transmission. With Mesilla’s latest order, around a third of its 1,200-truck fleet will be equipped with the TC10 by the end of 2016. Allison is a big player in the medium-duty truck market and the TC10 was designed specifically for the Class 8 metro market in 2013. However, this move may show that over-the-road fleets are looking at the automatic transmission as a viable option as well, according to one market analyst who called the announcement a “meaningful win for Allison.” “It demonstrates the TC10, perhaps the company’s most viable new market growth opportunity, is having success—especially considering MVT does not fit neatly into Allison’s target “Metro” market,” said Michael Baudendistel of investment advisory firm Stifel in an email to investors. Mesilla had an eye toward fuel efficiency when it decided to go with the TC10 and saw an improvement of 3.5% compared with the rest of its fleet and saw several trucks achieve double-digit mpg in testing. "We pride ourselves in making our equipment as fuel efficient as possible," said Royal Jones, co-founder, CEO, president and majority owner of MVT. International recently expanded its Allison TC10 offering by coupling the transmission with the Cummins ISX15 on the ProStar by the end of the year. It also offers the transmission on ProStar and TranStar trucks powered by the N13 engine. Mesilla Valley Transportation is a New Mexico-based transportation provider that serves the Southwest. The company specializes in dry freight and has a fleet of over 1,200 trucks and 5,000 trailers.

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Nice, but this is a proper long wheelbase Patrol. .