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Ernest Borgnine explains at 1:38 how compulsory military service creates more well-rounded people. .

BBC / August 17, 2018 The bodies of missing Colorado mother Shanann Watts and her two daughters have been located inside a fuel tank days after they vanished. Her husband Chris Watts has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his entire family. His arrest came one day after he appealed for their return. The tanks were nearly full when Mr Watts hid their bodies there to conceal the odor. The couple had financial troubles, and she suspected her husband was cheating. Mrs Watts, 34, who was 15 weeks pregnant, and the couple's children Bella, four, and Celeste, three, went missing on Monday. The bodies were found inside oil and gas tanks on the premises of a petroleum company where Mr Watts worked. He was fired from the company - Anadarko Petroleum - on Wednesday after his arrest. Mr Watts is being held on suspicion of three counts of murder and tampering with evidence. Police have until Monday to press charges.

Trump Asks SEC to Look Into Frequency of Corporate Reports Associated Press / August 17, 2018 NEW YORK — President Donald Trump says he’s asking federal regulators to look into the effectiveness of the quarterly financial reports that publicly traded companies are required to file. In a tweet early Aug. 17, Trump said that after speaking with “some of the world’s top business leaders,” he’s asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to determine whether shifting to a six-month reporting regimen would make more sense. The SEC requires such companies to share profit, revenue and other figures publicly every three months. Some believe that executives are making decisions based on short-term thinking to satisfy the market at the expense of the long-term viability of their companies. There are also tremendous expenses tied to preparing quarterly and annual reports.

Exactly. Today you're told to get lots of fiber and food products promote it, but I read man historically did not consume such amounts of fiber and it's unhealthy. A low-fiber gluten-free diet is supposed to be far better for you.

Paul, Volvo gave up on selling its arms merchants. They would have lost the Renault sale to Canada. https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47595-volvo-gets-rid-of-the-arms-merchants/

Volvo Group, with its new Arquus brand, now bills itself as “the historical partner of armies”.

Renault Trucks Defense renamed Arquus Andrew MacDonald, IHS Jane's Defence Industry / May 29, 2018 Renault Trucks Defense, an armoured vehicle subsidiary of Volvo Group, was renamed Arquus on 24 May, as part of the launch of a new strategy for the business. Renault Trucks Defence, which produces wheeled armoured vehicles and is also responsible for the Panhard and Acmat brands, had been targeted for divestment from Volvo for close to a year, until efforts to find a buyer were dropped in October 2017. The company’s rebranding and new strategic plan come just months after the company failed in its bid to win a contract for France’s Véhicule Blindé Multi-Rôle Léger (Light Multirole Armoured Vehicle, VBMR-L), a replacement for the Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé (Forward Area Armoured Vehicle) platforms it supplied to the French Army from the 1970s onwards. Arquus Website - https://www.arquus-defense.com/

Volvo Construction Equipment (VCE) has the worst after-sales support in the US market. Ask most any construction company who has tried Volvo, and they'll say they ultimately stopped buying Volvo because of the poor after-sales support. I like Deere and Komatsu, but CAT has the best after-sales support. Remember, most of the board wants to offload VCE because it generally isn't a money maker. And it lost millions in China with bad loans, millions, that put the overall group in financial dire straights (the explanation for the low-budget jury-rigged common rail on the old unit pump block). Remember they were forced to sell "Volvo Rents", their failed attempt to compete with CAT in the US, to raise cash.

Jim, VW does give Scania full autonomy. They realize the truckmaker is arguably the world's best. However, VW watches MAN closely due to their low profitability. MAN builds a superb truck.........the profitability problem is due to the German government (The VW car brand also barely turns a profit, for the same reason).

Australia Paul, I see my apricot Weet-Bix is not on the list. Good on Sanitarium.

Cheerios, Quaker Oats, other breakfast foods contain ingredient in weed killer The Morning Call/Detroit Free Press / August 16, 2018 A number of popular breakfast foods, including cereals, granola bars and instant oats, were tested and found to contain potentially dangerous amounts of cancer-linked glyphosate, the main ingredient in weed killer. The Environmental Working Group (EWG), an environmental advocacy organization that conducted the study, said Wednesday that glyphosate was found in all but five of 29 oat-based foods that were tested. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup, the most heavily used pesticide in the United States. Every year, according to the EWG, more than 250 million pounds of glyphosate is sprayed on American crops. The World Health Organization has determined that glyphosate is “probably carcnogenic to humans” and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a safety level for the potentially dangerous chemical. Just last week, Monsanto was ordered by a court to pay nearly $300 million to a man who claims his terminal cancer was caused by exposure to Roundup. Hundreds of other cases are working their way through the courts. Monsanto strongly disputes the finding that glyphosate is a probable carcinogen and notes that over four decades, the EPA has consistently supported the safe and effective use of glyphosate. The company notes on its website that on Dec. 18, the EPA stated the following: “The draft human health risk assessment concludes that glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans. The agency’s assessment found no other meaningful risks to human health when the product is used according to the pesticide label. The agency’s scientific findings are consistent with the conclusions of science reviews by a number of other countries as well as the 2017 National Institute of Health Agricultural Health Survey.” The products tested by the EWG showed levels dramatically lower than current EPA standard for glyphosate. For example, the amount allowed in grains is 30 parts per million. Most of the products tested by the EWA showed glyphosate levels that measured in parts per billion. Yet California, which is known for its robust cancer warnings, has determined there is a one in 100,000 risk of cancer from glyphosate when more than 1.1 milligrams is consumed per day. EWG says it has calculated a one in one million risk if more than 0.1 milligrams is consumed and a similar risk for children if even 0.01 milligrams is consumed daily. The worst offenders were Quaker oat products, which regularly clocked in at 400 or more glyphosate parts per billion — meaning they would be dangerous for children if even 27.5 grams were consumed daily. A single packet of Quaker’s dinosaur eggs instant oatmeal contains more than three times EWG’s daily safe limit for children. Kellogg products largely passed muster — of the two evaluated, only one of the Michigan-based cereal company’s oat foods came anywhere near dangerous to children and neither posed a threat to adults. The full list of products tested and their results is available below: — Potentially dangerous to children Back to Nature Classic Granola Quaker Simply Granola Oats, Honey, Raisin and Almonds Nature Valley Granola Protein Oats ‘n Honey Giant Instant Oatmeal Original Flavor Quaker Dinosaur Eggs, Brown Sugar, Instant Oatmeal Great Value Original Instant Oatmeal Umpqua Oats, Maple Pecan Market Pantry Instant Oatmeal, Strawberries & Cream … Cheerios Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal Lucky Charms (without marshmallows) Barbara’s Multigrain Spoonfuls, Original, Cereal Kellogg’s Cracklin’ Oat Bran oat cereal … Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars, Oats ‘n Honey Quaker Steel Cut Oats Quaker Old Fashioned Oats Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats … — Contains safe amounts of glyphosate Back to Nature Banana Walnut Granola Clusters KIND Vanilla, Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds Kellogg’s Nutrigrain Soft Baked Breakfast Bars, Strawberry Nature’s Path Organic Old Fashioned Organic Oats Whole Foods Bulk Bin conventional rolled oats Bob’s Red Mill Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats — Contained no glyphosate in any tests Nature’s Path Organic Honey Almond granola Simple Truth Organic Instant Oatmeal, Original Kashi Heart to Heart Organic Honey Toasted cereal Cascadian Farm Organic Harvest Berry, granola bar 365 Organic Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats … This product underwent multiple tests and tested above the dangerous level in one or more and below the dangerous level in one or more.

Great freight company, great truck and exclusively sold in the United States by...........American-owned Freightliner Corporation.

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / August 16, 2018 Volvo Trucks North America recently welcomed home the very first Volvo truck model to roll off the assembly line at its New River Valley assembly facility in Dublin, Va. Donated by the Wilson family, founders of the former Wilson Trucking Corporation, the 1982 Volvo F7[US] model will reside at the Volvo Trucks Customer Center, adjacent to the plant. Volvo and Wilson Trucking enjoyed a long-standing relationship beginning in the 1970s, when Wilson Trucking purchased the first Volvo F86 model sold in the U.S. In 2011, Wilson Trucking took delivery of the 500,000th U.S.-built Volvo truck model. .

Next generation of advanced safety arriving Neil Abt, Fleet Owner / August 16, 2018 During June, DTNA showed some of the future capabilities of its Detroit Assurance 4.0 suite of safety systems. That and other advanced safety systems for trucks have arrived at—or are nearing—new and enhanced functionality that can offer even better protection. DTNA conducted a platooning demonstration featuring two tractor-trailers. Using vehicle-to-vehicle communications, the company's system successfully stopped the first truck from hitting a stationary object, and simultaneously stopped the electronically linked truck in the back from crashing into the back of that lead truck. Kary Schaefer, DTNA's general manager of marketing and strategy, said about three-quarters of orders for the new Freightliner Cascadia are being spec'd with the Detroit Assurance 4.0 systems. That figure is a bit deceiving, she noted, because that system requires a Detroit engine and DT12 automated transmission as part of the package. When factoring in orders for non-Detroit safety system for customers choosing other powertrain options, that 75% figure moves even higher. Meanwhile, Jon Morrison, WABCO's president of the Americas, said studies have found its OnGuardActive system can result in an 87% reduction in rear-end collisions. The system alerts drivers to potentially critical driving situations and can also take corrective action to mitigate or prevent collisions. Last fall, WABCO said it was rolling out OnSide, a radar-based blind spot detection system that provides a 160-degree field of view and coverage for up to 65% of a standard 53-ft. trailer. When used in conjunction with OnLaneASSIST, OnSide can provide active collision avoidance, the company said, with OnLaneASSIST applying a correction torque to the steering wheel to return the vehicle towards the lane center. Among WABCO's other offerings include the trailer anti-lock braking system and OptiFlow aerodynamic tail with automatic deployment and retraction. In an interview with Fleet Owner, Morrison stressed the importance of the recent acquisition of R.H. Sheppard, offering the combination of active steering with braking, stability control and advanced driver assistance systems. Instead of warning-only system, active steering will help prevent trucks from drifting out of their lane and help keep it centered between road markings. Bendix also offers a variety of existing systems and is planning several enhancements during the second half of 2018. Its Wingman Fusion systems uses radar, camera, and the vehicle's brake system to alert a driver and decrease the vehicle's speed. Fusion offers enhanced rear-end collision mitigation and braking on stationary vehicles, along with lane departure warning, and overspeed alerts. Its older generation Wingman Advances is a radar-only system, but offers many similar features. Fred Andersky, director of customer solutions and controls for Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, said that company is nearing the launch of its next generation "Blind Spotter 2." It will provide a much wider field of view, helping to catch smaller passenger vehicles "that have a tendency to evade mirrors" and potentially lead to sideswipe accidents, Andersky said. He hinted the next generation of the Fusion system could be available before the end of the year. It will use the same camera and radar, meaning some feature will be retrofittable for customers. Also before 2018 is out, demonstration on advanced steering control will get underway, and Andersky said safety technologies for trailers are also attracting more attention. Jim Nachtman, on-highway heavy marketing director for Navistar, said a majority of orders for the company's LT series model trucks are being built with collision mitigation systems, and that there continues to be "very significant" year-over-year growth. He added safety systems are one part of a holistic safety approach in the LT series that includes lowered step heights, better visibility around the vehicles, mirrors moved further forward, LED headlamps, and optional roll side air bags. Even the fleets that waited on the sidelines several years ago as other fleets conducted trials have seen enough data to realize they too need to invest. More medium-duty trucks are ordering these technologies as well. For example, at the start of 2018, Kenworth Truck Co. announced it would begin offering the Bendix Wingman Fusion system as a factory-installed option on its T270 and T370 models. Kenworth Marketing Director Kurt Swihart said the manufacturer began offering factory installation of Wingman Advanced, and it was not long after inquiries about Wingman Fusion began. Another supplier in this space is Bosch, which is working on a lane keeping system that uses a video camera that is activated at 35 mph. The camera tracks the truck's position and detects road markings. The system intervenes when the truck does not maintain minimum distance from the marking. The system is initially targeting the European market and is likely to be offered in North America in the future. It is developed from Bosch's electrohydraulic steering system, which was part of a larger demonstration day during May in Michigan highlighting its Mobility Solutions division. .

Despite car cuts, Ford brand's portfolio to grow by 3 nameplates by 2023 Michael Martinez, Automotive News / August 16, 2018 DETROIT — The Ford brand's U.S. lineup will grow to 23 nameplates — three more than today — in the next five years, despite plans to stop selling sedans in the region, a top company executive said Thursday. Ford Motor Co. product chief Hau Thai Tang said the brand would add nine nameplates — seven of which will be pickups and utilities — through 2023. They will fill holes left by eliminating the Fiesta, Taurus, Fusion, C-Max, Flex and all but a wagon version of the Focus, and expand the brand into several new segments, resulting in a net gain of three nameplates for the brand. The product overhaul comes as Ford works to decrease its average showroom age from 5.7 years today to 3.3 by 2020. It hopes to have the freshest showroom in the industry by that time. "It's like selling fish and vegetables," Thai-Tang said at a media event tied to this weekend's 2018 Woodward Dream Cruise in suburban Detroit. "The fresher it is, the better they do." Ford executives have vowed to replace the sedans they're phasing out of North America with vehicles employing different body styles. The brand also is adding two off-road utilities in the coming years: the Bronco and a smaller off-road crossover that has yet to be named. Other new nameplates include the Ranger midsize pickup, a long-range battery-electric crossover inspired by the Mustang, and a commercial autonomous vehicle. Ford also is reportedly considering bringing a compact pickup to market by 2022. As it redesigns many of its vehicles, Ford will place them on one of five modular platforms: rear-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive body-on-frame; front-wheel-drive/awd unibody; commercial van unibody; rwd/awd unibody; and a unibody platform for battery-electric vehicles. All five will be able to accommodate hybrid vehicles. "This is a profound shift in terms of how Ford is thinking about the business, and how we're working," Thai-Tang said Thursday. Reiterating a presentation to the 2018 J.P. Morgan Auto Conference in New York last week, Thai-Tang said the flexible architectures will help Ford cut costs and boost the efficiency of its supply base. He said Ford can unlock 70 percent of the value content of a vehicle by moving to the modular approach. Thai-Tang and other Ford executives are attempting to offer more clarity on the company's plans amid increasing pressure from Wall Street to better detail CEO Jim Hackett's turnaround efforts, which will include an $11 billion restructuring. "We believe," Thai-Tang said. "I think we have to do a good job telling the story and the rationale, and giving [analysts and investors] tangible proof points. That's the challenge for all of us." .

Colorado father murders wife and two daughters BBC World News / August 16, 2018 A father in the US state of Colorado has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of his pregnant wife and two young daughters. Chris Watts, 33, is due in court a day after his arrest in the town of Frederick. He has confessed to killing the family. Shanann Watts, 34, was 15 weeks pregnant when she was reported missing on Monday along with the couple's daughters Celeste, 3, and Bella, 4. Colorado Bureau of Investigation Director John Camper said on Thursday: "At this point we have been able to recover a body that we're quite certain is Shanann Watts' body. "We have strong reason to believe that we know where the bodies of the children are and recovery efforts are in process on that." The body was found on the premises of Anadarko Petroleum Company. Mr Watts has worked for the company, according to bankruptcy court records, reports the Denver Post. The FBI was also called in to help the search, and released descriptions of the family so they could be more easily identified. Police launched an investigation after a close friend of Mrs Watts said she was not answering her phone. On Facebook, a friend posted that she had vanished without taking her phone, children's car seats, purse or children's medicine. Chris Watts spoke to reporters about the hunt, telling local ABC affiliate Denver7 that he wanted "everybody to come home". "I hope that she's somewhere safe right now and with the kids," he told the station. "If somebody has her and they're not safe, I want them back now," he said. But late on Wednesday officials announced that Mr Watts had been arrested and was being held in the Weld County Jail. "The Frederick Police Department, in conjunction with the FBI and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, has made an arrest in connection to the missing person's case," an update posted on the town's Facebook page read. "Chris Watts, the husband of Shanann, has been placed into custody and is awaiting charges." Watts agreed to bring officers to the location of the bodies. Shanann Watts' family provided a statement to the network saying: "It is with deep hurt, confusion and anger to confirm our beautiful cousin Shanann Watts, her unborn child, and her two angelic daughters, Bella (4), Celeste (3) were viciously murdered by husband Chris Watts; who confessed to the killings." .

Hillary Clinton praises girl for US Pledge of Allegiance protest BBC World News / August 16, 2018 Former First Lady Hillary Clinton has praised a young girl who said she was punished by her school after refusing to stand for the US Pledge of Allegiance. Mariana Taylor, 11, said she was inspired by the NFL kneeling protest to kneel during the daily morning recital. She claims a teacher violated her legal rights, but the school says it has no record of the alleged incident. "Keep up the good work Mariana," Mrs Clinton wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. "It takes courage to exercise your right to protest injustice, especially when you're 11!" the former Democratic presidential candidate wrote. She also shared video of the pupil's testimony to the school board in the US state of Maryland from earlier this summer. According to Mariana's family, the Catonsville Middle School student chose to kneel back in February to protest against racism and sexism. They said a teacher reprimanded the girl in front of the classroom, leaving her "in tears". Mariana spoke about the matter to the Baltimore County School Board on 10 July. "It is my rights that I am allowed to kneel," she told the committee. "Students are allowed to take stands as long as it's not disruptive to the classroom, and I feel that my confrontation was more disruptive than kneeling itself." The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) picked up Mariana's case in May. She said was inspired to kneel by NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who started protesting during the US national anthem at games to highlight perceived police brutality. Mariana profiled Kaepernick for a homework assignment to write about someone she admired. President Donald Trump has repeatedly denounced the NFL protests. Mariana's mother, Joanne Taylor, told CBS News about how her daughter became upset after she was allegedly rebuked by the teacher. "Mariana became upset right then and there," said Ms Taylor. "She was allowed to leave the classroom upset, the teacher did not suggest any kind of support [like] that she go to the guidance counsellor. "It wasn't until her second teacher could not calm her down that she was supportive of Mariana." The Baltimore County Public Schools said in May that they were not aware of any "student who has been reprimanded or punished for non-participation in patriotic observances". Students in the US are typically asked to stand and place their right hand over their heart while facing the flag as they recite the pledge each morning. .

Now now, Ford set a new 52-week low of $9.35 yesterday. Management must be doing something right.

2018 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet to cost $130,000 Michael Martinez, Automotive News / August 16, 2018 DETROIT -- Ford's 50th anniversary edition of its Mustang Cobra Jet drag racer -- billed at the automaker's fastest, most powerful racing Mustang yet -- will be priced at $130,000 when it goes on sale next year. The car was unveiled Thursday in the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak as part of the lead-up to this weekend's anuual Woodward Dream Cruise. The vehicle is powered by a special 5.2-liter V-8 engine paired with a 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger and can achieve a mid-8-second quarter-mile time, executives said. It is not street-legal. "This has inspired generations of Mustang fans to create their own performance machines for the street," Eric Cin, global director, Ford Performance Parts, said in a statement. Ford first launched the Cobra Jet in 1968 and revived it in 2008. From 2009 to 2016, it's offered the car every other year and has built 50 each time it's offered. It will build slightly more -- 68 -- this time around in honor of the 50th anniversary. It will be available in two colors: Race Red or Oxford White. Executives declined to discuss horsepower or other performance figures. The car is designed to be legal for National Hot Rod Association drag racing, along with several National Mustang Racers Association and National Muscle Car Association classes. .

Years before other truckmakers introduced similar technology, Scania had introduced "Ecocruise" in 2008, "Active Prediction" in 2011, and "Eco-roll in 2013".

Why not make the most of the truck’s kinetic energy to save fuel? That’s what Scania’s new Pulse & Glide functionality does – even on flat road stretches. Connectivity has changed the conditions for long haulage transport radically. In recent years, a number of new efficiency-boosting services and functions have been launched thanks to the new technology. An example is the new, smart cruise control Scania Active Prediction that was launched in 2012. The system uses topographical map data and GPS technology to determine the characteristics of the road three kilometres ahead. “Based on this data, the system selects gearing and speed strategies for the lowest possible fuel consumption. When compared to a conventional cruise control, we saw that Active Prediction could save between 5–7 percent fuel, with just around 0.9 percent lower average speed,” says Fredrik Roos, powertrain control strategist at Scania. But Scania’s engineers didn’t stop there. Fredrik Roos and colleague Mikael Ögren formed a team that continued the development. The team focused on the algorithms that calculate how the vehicle’s kinetic energy can be used to eco-roll with the gears in neutral. “Through simulations of different speed profiles we could see that patterns where the speed was increased just before the eco-roll phase was beneficial for the fuel consumption. That’s what we wanted the system to do, automatically,” Roos says. The result of the team’s efforts, Pulse & Glide, was launched in 2017, adding new functionality to Scania Cruise Control with Active Prediction (CCAP). In the latest version of CCAP, eco-roll can be used even on gradients that under normal circumstances are not steep enough to maintain speed. Longer time for eco-roll “By being able to increase speed – Pulse – and then freewheel – Glide – the collective time that the vehicle uses eco-roll can be considerably increased,” says Roos. “On suitable stretches of road, the new function alone can contribute to additional fuel savings of up to 0.5 percent.” According to Fredrik Roos, the complete active prediction system’s potential is best realized when driving truck and trailer combinations between 20 and 40 tons in hilly ­terrain and relatively light traffic. But Scania’s new system with Pulse & Glide has proved its worth also on flat road stretches, with a total fuel saving of 1.5 percent compared to a standard cruise control. Now, Roos’ team has started looking at future challenges. “We are continuously developing the algorithms to also being able to avoid unnecessary braking in situations where traffic is dense and you have short distances between the vehicles. This scenario will become more common as we move towards more convoy driving, or platooning. We are also looking into how we can optimize the system for hybrid powertrains.” .

Scania Group Press Release / August 14, 2018 It takes a special kind of truck to transport over 50 tonnes of timber from a felling site to the sawmill along a hilly forest road – especially with a crane with a 10-metre boom in tow. That’s why Aurélien Rancon of Transports Rancon has invested in a Scania R 650 V8 specially adapted to his needs. High in the hills of the Haute-Loire in southern France, Aurélien Rancon, director of Transports Rancon, is delicately picking up 16-metre logs one at a time, and stacking them onto the trailer of his Scania R650. The whole process is apparently painless – like any job when carried out with the right tools. And Rancon is more than satisfied with his truck and Palforet crane; for his 22-tonne V8 is strong and reliable, the crane has a grappling hook that means business, and both obey his every command. Powerful, stable and safe, the truck has no problem overcoming pitfalls on the road and can negotiate an 18 percent incline with ease, but Rancon still approaches every forest road with caution. “For us loggers, the first three miles are the most dangerous,” he says. “These roads are not built for a 57-tonner!” Sometimes his skills are tested to the limit by the snow, ruts and narrowness of road, as well as the weight and length of the load. Thanks to the second wheel which controls his Faymonville three-axle trailer, he feels confident: “It is absolutely essential for narrow bends or manoeuvring in the forest. I have a control screen that shows me everything happening behind.” Rancon will need to transport this batch of timber to the Celle sawmill about 12 miles from away: one of many of the runs he will be doing for them this week. Transports Rancon known for a timely delivery Simon Guironnet, timber buyer at the mill, says: “Transports Rancon are punctual and serious about the job. They understand that a reliable truck guarantees delivery of the timber.” With an annual turnover of EUR 700,000, Transports Rancon employs three members of staff including two drivers, and operates four trainers and four vehicles including three Scania trucks. Originally tailor-made for an exhibition, Transports Rancon’s latest Scania truck was adapted to their particular requirements. “To perform the work, we need power and torque,” says Rancon. Julien Sauron, Commercial Manager, Trucks Services and Distribution, and a Scania distributor says: “This is the ideal model for extreme conditions with balanced power, performance and fuel consumption, which is really low for a V8. The V8 Euro 6 engine is remarkable for its simplicity, and it meets the levels of reliability that Aurélien requires perfectly.” The pair know each other well because this is not the first Scania that Rancon has purchased. But this latest truck displays exceptional character including the dual chassis, enhanced braking system, the most powerful hydraulic retarder in the range (R4100), without forgetting the V8 engine. With a front axle capacity of 10 tonnes and two rear axles of 13 tonnes each, the vehicle has been approved for a gross combination weight rating of 70 tonnes and for carrying 57 tonnes of round timber. “It’s quite exceptional, even on board.” says Rancon. “And the visibility is astonishing.” Turning point Following an industrial accident that kept him off the road for several months, driving comfort is particularly important to Rancon, he appreciates the ergonomics of his next-generation cab. “In the new Scania, I no longer feel any back pain,” he says. It was this accident that led the young business owner to a strategic turning point: “Being bed-ridden, I only had the internet to keep me occupied. I started looking at new markets. The large Belgian and German sawmills were starting to invest in the French market because of its fuel diversity and the abundance of raw materials. I seized this opportunity and started to develop with them.” Sauron on Scania’s services Since a vehicle out of action represents a loss in earnings, “When a logger phones you, you know that you have to act immediately,” says Sauron. After-sales care is the key. “There’s no room for error! The vehicles are so specific, we cannot provide a courtesy vehicle if one is out of action so anticipating a breakdown is essential. A part ordered before 4pm will be delivered the next morning, which means we can act quickly. Racon appreciates this proactive approach to after sales: “I know I can count on Julien.” .

Dubai Road Express Film – Full Movie in High Definition Scania Group Press Release / August 15, 2018 In 1976, Scania commissioned a film to document the maiden trucking journey between Norway and Dubai on a route called the Dubai Road Express. More than four decades later, this film has become a piece of history. The year prior, Norwegian trucking company Johan Evensen & Sønner had completed its last of 106 journeys to Bandar Abbas on the southern coast of Iran, and was looking for new opportunities. It was the next year, when the tanker Serpens Constellation had an unexpected breakdown in the middle of the Atlantic, that Jan was given the mission of a lifetime. A necessary spare part, made in Norway, needed to be delivered to Dubai, where the ship could pick it up while en route into the Persian Gulf. For the drivers of such routes, leaving home meant being away from their families for weeks at a time, often without knowing exactly when they would be back or what challenges they would encounter along the way. In the end, the Dubai Road Express turned out to be short-lived. Once the inaugural trip was over, transport company Johan Evensen & Sønner made the decision to cancel the route. The loose sand between Doha and Dubai, accompanied by relentless heat that disabled important support systems, meant the route was just not worth the trouble. .

Why you should beware of your smartphone—and the invisible blue light it emits Alessandra Malito, Market Watch / August 15, 2018 Blue light is everywhere. It’s emitted by computers, televisions and smartphones. It’s also the cause, in some cases, for accelerated blindness and eye disease, according to a new study. Constantly looking at digital devices kills cells in the eye’s retina, and can lead to macular degeneration, an incurable eye disease that usually begins when people are in their 50s or 60s, a recent University of Toledo study found. Blue light can cause a “poisonous” chemical reaction in the eye’s photoreceptor cells and, when those cells die, they’re gone forever. The good news: There’s a way to prevent the cells from dying. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the department of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Toledo, found one type of molecule — called the antioxidant alpha tocopherol, which is derived from Vitamin E — can stop the poisonous reaction. As people get older, it’s harder to fight eye disease. Karunarathne said he hopes this research leads to the invention of preventative measures, such as eye drops to protect the retina. Blue light in the dark can be especially dangerous, previous studies show, and this type of light has been linked to cancer, diabetes, heart disease and obesity, according to a Harvard University study. The reason is unclear, but researchers have associated exposure to blue light with a decrease in melatonin, the hormone that affects circadian rhythm — the 24-hour human body clock. When the circadian rhythm is off, so are blood sugar levels, which can lead to obesity and diabetes. Screen time is also associated with depression among adults. The problems connected with blue light may only get worse. American adults spend more than 11 hours a day looking at screens and check their phones every 10 minutes on average. Amazon sells glasses that block the damaging effects of blue light. They cost between $9 and $60. Refrain from looking at digital devices in the hours before bedtime, and expose yourself to bright lights during the day, which affect the way you sleep at night, as well as your mood and alertness, the Harvard study found. And if you’re still constantly looking at a screen, remember to blink regularly. Focusing on a screen decreases reflexes and tear production, which causes dry eyes, according to the College of Optometrists. In the meantime, try the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, you look 20 feet away for 20 seconds, to give your eyes a break and increase blinking.

Ford's blue sky CEO has investors treading water Chris Bryant, Bloomberg / August 15, 2018 In a fractious call with analysts last month, during which Ford Motor Co.'s management were once again lambasted for their vagueness about planned restructuring measures, Chief Financial Officer Bob Shanks did make at least one revealing comment: "We swim in the water with ankle weights, big ones…we want to get them off so that the real underlying strength of this company can come through." He was referring, of course, to Ford's unprofitable international operations and a portfolio that's still too heavily skewed towards unpopular sedans -- factors that contributed to a shock profit warning. But with Ford's shares falling by one quarter so far this year, investors must be wondering whether that's the extent of the automaker’s surplus baggage. Two more potential problems – leadership and liquidity (namely, Ford's capacity to pay dividends) – have also come into sharp focus recently. Neither will be addressed in a hurry, and that’s partly because of the influence of the founding family. Dividend questions First, liquidity: Ford is committed to paying about $3 billion in dividends this year. In view of Ford’s rapidly deteriorating operating performance and the litany of longer-term challenges it faces, that’s probably too high. The 6.3 percent dividend yield -- a level that often indicates a payout cut is in the offing -- suggests plenty of investors think the same. Not so long ago, some analysts were complaining Ford was too stingy with its cash. So what’s changed? Outside the U.S., Ford isn’t generating returns that exceed its cost of capital. Including dividend and pension contributions, Ford's automotive unit consumed about $1 billion of cash last year and this year isn't shaping up any better. Management have, somewhat belatedly, announced a mammoth restructuring that’s set to cost about $7 billion in cash terms over the next four years or so. The company's annual capital expenditures bill is about $7.5 billion, plus it is also having to invest plenty in autonomous vehicle research. Suddenly, things look tight. True, Ford's balance sheet remains in decent-ish shape now -- the autos unit has about $9 billion of net cash. But a more sudden sales slowdown would cause this to bleed cash due to Ford’s negative working capital position. Already, cash flow is deteriorating, and Berenberg analyst Alexander Haissl says the company will have to cut the dividend by one-third from next year. Hackett's management That’s liquidity, what about leadership? Chairman Bill Ford made a good call when he hired Alan Mulally from Boeing to run crisis-hit Ford in 2006. Mulally’s experience of cost-cutting at a hugely complex manufacturer proved invaluable at the automaker, which, unlike rival General Motors, didn’t require a government bailout. Hence, Ford watchers were probably reluctant to question the chairman’s decision last year to tap another outsider to run the company -- Jim Hackett, whose background is in office furniture. Ford described Hackett, who took up the helm in May 2017, as a "visionary." In other words, the sort of person needed to help the company make the leap to the autonomous and electric vehicle era. Hackett certainly isn’t to blame for the shortcomings in Ford's product lineup or China business, which pre-date his arrival, and he's had plenty of bad luck, too: Ford's very profitable U.S. truck operations were hit by a fire this year, the competitiveness of U.K. business is being upturned by Brexit, plus complying with Europe's tough new emissions rules is proving challenging. However, Hackett's encounters with the financial community -- peppered with buzzwords but short on details -- have been nothing short of disastrous. Furthermore, the speed at which Carlos Tavares has turned around Peugeot (and now Opel/Vauxhall) has made Hackett's repeated pleas for patience feel pretty inadequate. An article this week in The Wall Street Journal exploring Hackett's cerebral/baffling leadership style hasn't helped his cause either. Arguably, what Ford needs right now isn’t so much a visionary but someone who can also take swift, tough decisions. About half of the company's 200,000 workforce are in Ford's unprofitable overseas operations, which underscores the scale of the challenge. His frustration boiling over, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas outright asked Hackett last month whether he still expected to be running the company when the company finally gets around to holding a now-delayed capital markets day. But having waxed lyrical about Hackett’s qualities so recently, Bill Ford is hardly likely to withdraw his support now. Similarly, the chairman and his family aren’t likely supporters of a dividend cut. They control 40 percent of the voting rights thanks to a special class of stock, and depend on the lucrative payout. Shanks, the CFO, told Bloomberg on Tuesday the dividend isn’t at risk. With Ford’s management treading water, its investors are left to hope that the company’s many ankle weights don't cause it to drown. .