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The Wall Street Journal / December 3, 2015 Trucking companies ordered the fewest number of trucks since 2010 on a seasonally adjusted basis, reflecting a gloomy outlook for freight transportation Orders for large trucks fell to the lowest level in more than three years in November, according to new reports that suggest U.S. shipping businesses are girding for slower economic growth in the coming year. Orders for new Class-8 trucks, the biggest trucks commonly seen on highways or at construction sites, totaled 16,600 in November, down nearly 60% from the same month a year ago and 36% fewer than companies ordered in October, ACT Research said in its preliminary report on the month. The orders for trucks to be delivered in 2016 have fallen sharply since mid-summer amid tepid retail sales growth and warnings from several big retailers that they are overstocked for the holiday sales period. “A glut of inventory in the broader economy has led to slowing freight and lower freight rates,” ACT Vice President Steve Tam said in a statement. “This in turn has caused truckers to hit the pause button on truck orders.” ACT said the November total was the lowest that the commercial-vehicle research company has recorded since August 2010 on a seasonally-adjusted basis and the lowest since September 2012 without adjusting for seasonal fluctuations. A separate report from FTR, a research group that tracks freight transportation, placed net orders for Class 8 trucks at 16,465 in November, which the group said was a “major disappointment” that was significantly below its expectations. The orders reached the lowest level for a November that FTR has recorded since 2009. The slowdown likely presages deeper cutbacks at truck manufacturers that already have reduced factory work, said Don Ake, FTR vice president for commercial vehicles. Trucking companies “would appear to have enough new trucks for now,” Mr. Ake said. “The manufacturing sector has sputtered and freight growth has slowed. Orders should stabilize soon, but backlogs will be shrinking, necessitating larger production cuts than were previously expected.”

Man’s hoard of nearly 5,000 guns shows ease of amassing arms in U.S. Reuters / December 3, 2015 As sheriff’s investigators threaded past the battered cars, cast-off tires and rusted farm equipment cluttering Brent Nicholson’s front yard, there was no hint of the sinister stockpile hidden behind his windowless front door. Inside, the guns were everywhere: rifles and shotguns piled in the living room, halls and bedrooms; handguns littering tables and countertops. Outside, when they rolled up the door on the pre-fab metal garage, more arms spilled out at their feet. “This has completely changed our definition of an ass-load of guns,” said Chesterfield County Sheriff Jay Brooks. Six weeks after the discovery, officers are still cataloging the weapons, many of which have proved stolen, and the final tally is expected to be close to 5,000. “I don’t know if there’s ever been (a seizure) this big anywhere before,” Brooks says. The question of how one man amassed such a stockpile of guns arises just as there is renewed American soul-searching over the widespread availability of firearms in the wake of a series of mass shootings. Even in a country where more people own more guns than anywhere else in the world, Nicholson's cache is extraordinary. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives doesn't rank gun seizures by size, but a spokesman says Nicholson's hoard probably is among the largest ever. Yet when and why Nicholson set out to amass such an arsenal remains a mystery. Investigators are trying to determine whether he was simply a gun-obsessed hoarder or a supply valve in the “Iron Pipeline” of illegal firearms flowing from the south to New Jersey, New York and other northern states. Nicholson, jailed on multiple charges of possessing stolen property, has not entered a plea or retained an attorney, court records show. His wife, Sharon Nicholson, facing similar charges and free on bond, declined to discuss specifics of the case but stressed in a brief interview that her husband buys his guns legally. The Nicholson case raises issues that are fueling an increasingly heated national dialogue on the modern-day implications of Americans’ constitutional right to bear arms, which puts no limits on the number of weapons citizens can own. The uncertainty over how he got his guns – and what he was doing with them – underscores disputes over private gun sales, gun registration and what the government should know about who owns firearms and how they change hands. Now, the spate of mass shootings, capped by Wednesday's spree by a heavily armed couple who killed 14 at an office holiday party in San Bernardino, California, has pushed those issues to the fore in the presidential campaign. The massacre, which follows an attack that killed three last Friday at a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic and an Oct. 1 rampage by a gunman who killed 10 at an Oregon college, prompted Hillary Clinton, leading candidate for the Democratic nomination, to renew her call to "stop gun violence now" with new firearm purchase restrictions. Conversely, those who top the polls for the Republican nomination, Donald Trump and Ben Carson, insist the answer to gun violence is to empower citizens to thwart such attacks by making it easier, not harder, to buy and carry weapons. It wasn’t hard for Nicholson. Just about everyone knows the Nicholsons in this struggling town of 2,700, where the textile industry’s regional decline has helped strand median household income at $26,500 a year, half the U.S. average, and burglary rates run well over national norms. Firearms are a cultural staple – hunting clubs and cabins dot the county – and people say Nicholson’s penchant for guns was a family affair. “Everybody knew he’d buy guns; his father bought ‘em, his grandfather bought ‘em,” says Al Padgett, 68, who keeps a booth at a local flea market and says he’s known the family all his life. “He collected ‘em, hoarded ‘em, but I never knew him to sell a gun. Not one. He did everyone a favor keeping ‘em off the street.” Brooks sees things differently. Nicholson had piles of allegedly stolen goods, including a zoo’s worth of taxidermy trophies, Brooks says, but his preference was guns and he provided a ready market for burglars who grabbed them from cabins and hunting camps. The sheriff still hasn’t determined precisely how many guns in Nicholson’s cache were stolen, noting that hundreds have had their serial numbers removed so they can’t be traced. “Getting him locked up dries up the outlet for this stolen merchandise,” Brooks says. Brooks suspects Nicholson may have been selling some of the guns. He had relatively few handguns – maybe a half-dozen large buckets full – and “that makes us believe he had a market for those and was moving them north,” Brooks says, noting that the matter remains under investigation. South Carolina is a common starting point for firearms moving up the Iron Pipeline, a route for many of the 230,000 or so guns stolen nationwide each year. The South has more gun thefts than any other region, federal data show, and police in New York and other northern cities say they regularly tie those guns to crimes, though there is no data on how often. Stemming the flow is a challenge, law enforcement officials say, because it’s not organized groups moving truckloads of weapons; it’s a loose web of individuals who sell guns more as an occasional sideline than a full-time endeavor. On Oct. 21, a sheriff’s deputy just over the state line in Union County, North Carolina, pulled Nicholson over for running a stop sign. Nicholson’s pick-up had bogus license plates – and the deputy noticed rifle barrels poking up from behind the seat when he approached the vehicle. A search turned up 20 rifles, nine handguns and nearly 200 hydrocodone pills, arrest records show, and several of the guns were stolen. Nicholson was arrested for possessing stolen weapons, trafficking in opiates and vehicular violations. Nicholson was still jailed 48 hours later when a deputy in Pageland stopped by his house with a subpoena in a family court matter. The deputy spotted equipment in the yard that had been reported stolen, and investigators returned with a search warrant. They’d spend the next six days removing guns, hundreds of cases of ammo, and other goods. “He was going up to Union County to do something with those guns; we don’t know what,” Brooks says. “We’ve got information that he was moving some of these goods and … we’re looking at his activities to see if he was part of something more organized.” Tracking Nicholson’s guns is a challenge because many states, including South Carolina, don’t regulate private gun purchases, which are unrestricted and require no background check. So person-to-person sales, including gun show transactions that don’t involve licensed dealers, are largely untraceable. There also is no national gun registration mandate – only some state laws. So, unlike, say, cars, which can be tracked through registrations, guns often have no traceable ownership trail beyond their last sale by a licensed dealer. It's an issue that also is complicating efforts to trace the origin of the two assault-style rifles and two handguns used in Wednesday's shooting spree in San Bernardino. The guns initially were bought legally: two by someone "associated with" the case and two by someone with no apparent link, according to ATF spokeswoman Meredith Davis. But it's still not clear how those guns got to the shooters. President Barack Obama and the major Democratic presidential candidates support background checks for private firearms sales; Leading Republican candidates generally oppose additional gun controls, echoing the National Rifle Association’s position that they’re unnecessary constraints on gun owners’ 2nd Amendment right to bear arms. None of the proposals being floated on either side of the political spectrum would limit the number of guns someone can own. So far, investigators have identified owners of just a fraction of Nicholson’s guns. Even those that still have serial numbers can be traced only to the last time they passed through a licensed dealer. And since there’s no requirement that gun owners record those numbers, many who believe their guns were stolen and sold to Nicholson are unable to prove the weapons belong to them. Sharon Nicholson, 52, said in a brief interview at the family’s liquor store that her husband typically bought his guns at stores, but Brooks says investigators have found no records of any purchases he may have made from licensed dealers. Ultimately, the courts will decide what happens to Nicholson’s guns. Brooks suspects many will be destroyed, particularly those with no serial numbers, because their rightful owners can’t be identified. Some locals scratch their heads over that possibility, arguing that it’s a waste of good weaponry. Nicholson may not have known if he was buying weapons that prove to be stolen, some say, and he should be allowed to keep any that do not. “It doesn’t make sense,” says Otis Burch, 85, another local who knows the Nicholsons. “He’s a good man – he wasn’t selling those guns. “I asked him just about a month ago if he’d sell me a deer rifle,” Burch adds, “and he said he didn’t have any.” .

Mother beats 15-month-old infant on airplane Associated Press / December 3, 2015 A mother is on trial for assaulting her 15-month-old toddler daughter during a flight from Alaska to Hawaii. Passengers and flight attendants all reported that the May 3 flight, Samantha Leialoha Watanabe was abusive to a generally well-behaved toddler, Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Wallenstein told the jury in federal court in Honolulu. The trial is for the girl, whose name is Clementine, he said, "a 15-month-old child who was pushed in the face with an open hand with enough force to cause her head to jerk all the back to its full range of motion." Clementine was also cursed at, smacked in the head, hit in the face with a stuffed doll and had her hair pulled out, he said. "All by this woman, Samantha Watanabe," he said. "The defendant, her own mother." Alaska State Trooper Brian Miller, who was headed to a Kauai vacation with about a dozen family members, testified that Watanabe was abusive with her daughter. "She was telling her to shut the F up and ... what's your problem and so on," he said. Miller said Watanabe yanked out Clementine's hair and blew it to the ground. Watanabe then held the hair out as if showing it to the child and threw it on the floor while the child cried. He also told the FBI she hit the girl in the face and smacked her on the back of the head so hard that the child's head snapped forward. Watanabe stuck a wad of cash in the girl's diaper, according to a criminal complaint filed by the FBI. Whenever the girl tried to touch her mother's face, the complaint said, Watanabe slapped the child's hands and arms. .

This fellow's thoughts, well, form your own opinions.

If we treat all mass shootings as Muslim terror attacks, America would have new gun laws faster than those bullets destroyed so many lives in San Bernardino Op-Ed - Piers Morgan ‘LAW-ABIDING AMERICAN GUN-OWNER COMMITS MASSACRE.’ If that was the headline of the latest horrendous mass shooting in San Bernardino, then this story would disappear from the news agenda within a day or two. The U.S. is now so distressingly, pathetically immune to such gun outrages that it takes an attack of gigantic Sandy Hook style proportions to move any kind of prolonged needle in the news cycle. Even 14 dead and 21 wounded wouldn’t be enough of a toll to warrant more than a week or so of coverage. There is now a mass shooting every single day in America. It’s become a sickening part of routine life in the world’s great superpower. I’ve run out of vitriolic adjectives to describe them, and they would be superfluous anyway because the statistics alone tell the horrific story. These two in particular are all you need to really know: 1) 100,000 people are hit by gunfire in the United States every year, of whom 32,000 die. 2) More people, over 400,000, have been killed by guns since 2001 alone than America lost in the whole of World War 2. This is more than all the other 20 richest industrialized countries in the world, combined. But this story had a twist. ‘MUSLIM KILLERS’ screamed today’s front page of the New York Post. The headline was entirely accurate. Syed Farook, 28, and Tashfeen Malik, 27, the shooter and his wife who joined him in the rampage, were indeed Muslims. Farook was also an American citizen and all four guns they used were bought legally in the United States. But that was deemed irrelevant compared to the stunning revelation of the M-word. Two Muslims had killed a bunch of Americans. Now we had a REAL news story. This was TERRORISM! ‘It’s WAR!’ howled Senator Ted Cruz, a gun-adoring presidential candidate never knowingly heard saying anything about any mass shooting other than ‘pray for the victims’. ‘We’re deeply concerned this is yet another manifestation of terrorism,’ he added, ‘radical Islamic terrorism here at home.’ At the time he said this, Cruz had no actual facts to support this theory other than the fact the perpetrators were Muslims. It may well turn out that he’s right, that this was indeed a terrorist attack carried out by radicalised Islamists. All the evidence is now pointing that way. And if it is, we can all rest assured that Cruz and other Republican candidates like Ben Carson and Donald Trump will start furiously demanding all sorts of new laws to make sure no Muslim can ever do this again. They’ll want so many changes to immigration and surveillance rules and regulations specific to Muslims that the U.S. Constitution itself may need to be re-written to accommodate them all. When it comes to dealing with terrorists, especially Muslim terrorists, all bets, and freedoms, are off. After 9/11, air travel was changed irrevocably for everyone in America. Cockpits got locked, shoes and belts ordered off, baby milk subjected to forensic explosive residue testing. Oh, and President George W Bush declared wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to try and destroy the culprits and all their sympathizers, even if – as with Saddam Hussein – they had absolutely nothing to do with it. The message couldn’t be clearer: Republicans hate Islamic terrorists, they’re tough on Islamic terrorists, they WIPE OUT Islamic terrorists. But when it comes to guns, which kill tens of thousands more Americans a year, these same GOP politicians take an opposite tack. Far from wanting to deal with the problem, or get rid of it, they actively seek to make it worse. They block all new gun laws, they viciously berate President Obama for having the audacity to ‘infringe’ their rights, and they recite the NRA mantra: ‘More guns, less crime!’ Only last week, in the wake of the Paris terror attacks, it was pointed out that by refusing to tighten gun laws, these same politicians would of course be making it easier for any radicalised Muslims in America to get their hands on plentiful guns and ammunition to commit their murderous plots. If you have a clean background, and are unlucky enough to actually be subjected to a background check- 40 per cent of all gun sales are conducted without one - you can buy pretty much as many guns and bullets as you like in America. Syed Farook, reported today to have been radicalised, turned his home into a lethal arsenal without anyone ever questioning any purchase he made for any of it. This was not just a massacre waiting to happen, it was one that was loudly and widely predicted just a few days ago. I’ve tried all manner of ways to try and persuade Americans to do something, anything, to combat the scourge of hideous gun violence that insidiously permeates every aspect of U.S. society. When Ebola killed two Americans earlier this year, billions of dollars was thrown at fighting the disease and a whole raft of strict new security measures introduced. But in some U.S. states, it remains easier to buy an assault rifle than a pet dog. The NRA is far too rich, funded by the grateful, equally cynical gun manufacturers, and far too powerful for anything meaningful to be achieve to reduce the level of gun ownership or the subsequent inevitable gun violence. Just look at the record gun sales last Black Friday to see how bleak the future looks in a country where there are already over 300 million guns in circulation. Yet there is one idea that might work, and it came to me as I watched Ted Cruz venting his bigoted wrath this morning. Let’s treat EVERY mass shooting as a terror attack. In fact, let’s go a step further and give every mass shooter an Arabic name. That way, they’d all be ‘Islamic terrorists’ and thus worthy of immediate drastic action. If 32,000 Americans a year were reclassified as being shot dead by ‘Islamic terrorists’ rather than non-Islamic fellow Americans, then Republicans would suddenly support new gun laws faster than those bullets annihilated so many poor innocent people in San Bernardino.

I'm going to tell you that, for political reasons, Volvo does have Renault on a looser leash. And, look a Renault's fantastic sales results!

Peterbilt Recalls Semis That Go Faster Than Tires Can Handle The New York Times / December 2, 2015 Peterbilt has volunteered to recall more than 2,000 semis because they can travel at speeds greater than their tires can safely handle. The move by Peterbilt in the U.S. and Canada raises questions about the safety of trucks still on U.S. roads that are equipped with as many as 10,000 of the same tires. Peterbilt, part of Paccar Inc. of Bellevue, Washington, said it would recall the tractors from the 2009 to 2016 model years because they can go faster than 75 miles per hour, even though the maximum speed their Michelin tires can handle is 65 mph. The trucks are used mainly for hauling automobiles. "A premature tire failure may occur on the front or steer axle" and could cause a crash, Peterbilt said in documents posted this week by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Dealers will reprogram the trucks' computers so they can't go faster than 65 mph. Peterbilt said that because auto haulers tend to push the limits of front-axle loads, it determined that the speed discrepancy is a safety defect and the trucks should be recalled. NHTSA is encouraging other truck manufacturers with "similar risks" to take action to address them, but the agency has no formal investigation under way and hasn't requested further recalls, spokesman Gordon Trowbridge said. Michelin says its tires are safe and perform as designed. The safety agency began investigating Michelin's 22.5-inch diameter XZA tires in October of 2014, finding 16 complaints, three crashes and two police crash reports involving alleged tire failures. One truck rolled onto its side in New Mexico, but no one was seriously hurt. Investigators closed the probe in February after determining that the failures were caused by a road hazard, owners using the tires on the wrong-size rim, or a combination of violating tire load limits, letting the air pressure get too low or traveling at higher speeds than the tires can handle. During the investigation, Volvo Trucks issued a recall similar to Peterbilt's involving 115 trucks. NHTSA investigators also blamed the tire failures on some states raising the speed limit for trucks above 75 mph — the maximum speed rating most truck tires can handle. Fourteen states allow trucks to go 75 mph or faster, even though tire makers say tires can blow out if they exceed that speed for a long period. Federal agencies haven't had authority to set speed limits since 1995, when Congress repealed the national speed limit. NHTSA has proposed a regulation limiting top speeds of big rigs nationwide to below 75 mph. A big trucking association and safety advocates have asked for a 68 mph limit. But the regulation, first proposed in 2006, has been stalled for years in a morass of cost analyses and government reviews. It's been sitting at the White House Office of Budget and Management since May 18. The office wouldn't comment on the delay but said it works as fast as possible to review rules, and complex ones take longer. Henry Jasny, senior vice president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, one of the groups backing the regulation, said it's unusual for the management and budget office to hold a rule for longer than 90 days.

Land Line Magazine / December 2, 2015 Paccar is recalling nearly 2,000 Peterbilt trucks due to Michelin tires with a speed rating less than the vehicle is governed to, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents. Nine Peterbilt models with model years ranging from 2009 to 2016 are affected. Affected vehicles are equipped with Michelin 295/60R22.5 XZA-2 front tires. Higher speeds, tire load, road temperatures and other factors increase the chances of premature tire failure. Trucks affected by the recall include: 2010 Peterbilt 335 2010, 2012, 2015-2016 Peterbilt 337 2009-2010 Peterbilt 340 2011-2016 – Peterbilt 348 2009, 2011-2016 Peterbilt 365 2009, 2012-2013 Peterbilt 386 2009-2015 Peterbilt 388 2015-2016 Peterbilt 389 2015 Peterbilt 567 Owners of affected trucks will be notified by Peterbilt. Dealers will reprogram the engine’s vehicle speed parameters to limit the maximum vehicle speed to the tire speed rating. Drivers can contact Peterbilt at 940-591-4000 with recall number 1115P.

Renault Trucks Press Release / December 2, 2015 Renault Trucks is adding to its range of distribution trucks by equipping the Range D WIDE (full width cab) with our 11-liter engine. The truck’s available 8 and 11 liter engines offer power ratings from 250 to 430 horsepower. Renault Trucks is expanding its choice of engines for the Distribution range by making its 11-liter DT11 Euro-6 engine available for the Range D WIDE. With this new engine option, the Renault Trucks D WIDE can now be equipped with two additional power ratings, 380 hp / 1,800 Nm and 430 hp / 2,050 Nm. This new offering allows Renault Trucks to cover all the needs of its customers seeking vehicles with a high power rating, while retaining a low entry cab for greater comfort. Cab accessibility on the Renault Trucks D WIDE has been designed to make everyday life easier for the driver, who has to frequently get into and out of the vehicle. The D WIDE features two anti-slip stairway type steps only 340 mm from the ground. This enables the Renault Trucks D WIDE DTI11 to perfectly satisfy the needs of activities related to the environment, tankers and even car transporters. The Renault Trucks D WIDE is supplied with the Optidriver automated manual gearbox as standard. It can also be fitted with the Fuel Eco pack, a gearshift optimised to reduce fuel consumption, an automatic engine cutout, the Ecocruise control, the disengageable air compressor and the inhibited Power mode. For even greater driving comfort and safety, a Voith retarder is available as an additional option. As on the D WIDE, the 2.3 meter wide Renault Trucks Range C cab can also be fitted with the DTI11 engine. This vehicle is particularly suitable for environmentally related activities such as waste tips, which demand a high power rating, but also require the crew to get into and out of the cab frequently. Altogether, there are now 16 Range D WIDE and Range C 2.3m models which can now be ordered with the DTI 11 engine. Photo gallery - http://corporate.renault-trucks.com/en/press-releases/2015-12-02_renault_trucks_d_wide_dti_11_en.html

Renault Trucks Press Release / December 2, 2015

Associated Press / December 2, 2015 As many as three attackers armed with rifles opened fire at a holiday party for county employees in San Bernardino, California on Wednesday around 11:00am, murdering 14 people and injuring 17 others (10 of the 17 are in critical condition). They opened fired for 30 seconds, randomly, then paused to reload and began firing again. The shooters fled in a rented black Ford Expedition, prompting a huge police response in the area. About five hours later, the hunt for the suspects continued with a tip taking officers to an apartment about 10 miles away in Redlands (southeast of San Bernardino) connected to Syed Rizwan Farook. When detectives went to the apartment, a black SUV with Utah plates passed by slowly, and then sped up and raced off. A police car spotted it and took up pursuit. A man shot out of the vehicle while a woman drove during a high-speed chase. The SUV stopped a quarter a mile later, as an officer returned fire. Additional police arrived, riddling the SUV with bullets. Both murderers, dressed in black assault-style clothing and wearing black masks, were killed in the shootout. They have been identified as 28-year-old Muslim U.S. citizen Syed Rizwan Farook, an environmental specialist at the San Bernardino County Environmental Health Department, and.27-year-old Muslim Saudi Arabian immigrant Tashfeen Melik. Relatives claim they were married. Police say the man and woman had AR15 assault rifles and semi-automatic hand guns. They threw what appeared to be pipe bombs out the windows at police (Initially the ATF later said the pipes did not contain explosives, rather they were thick-gauge copper pipe equipped with a piece of material made to look like a wick.............but later a duffle bag of alleged pipe bombs was pictured in the SUV). Police have detained a third suspect seen running from the SUV. Police are confident that they have now secured the neighborhood and there are no outstanding suspects there. After pausing to obtain a search warrant, police and FBI officials are also searching a house in Redlands. The FBI have set up a perimeter around the property and begun a mandatory evacuation of the surrounding area. The event took place at the Inland Regional Center 60 miles east of Los Angeles, a complex that houses a conference center and a facility that serves people with developmental disabilities. “We do not know if this is a terrorist incident,” David Bowdich, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles office. San Bernardino police chief Jarrod Burguan said the gunmen entered “as if on a mission”, adding: “They came in with a purpose … We have no information to indicate that this is terrorism in the traditional sense; obviously at a minimum we have a domestic terrorism situation.” Farook was a guest at the holiday event where the initial shooting took place. There was a dispute at the event and Farook left, later returning with two other suspects. An explosive device placed inside the Inland Regional Center was found during a secondary sweep and rendered safe, said Meredith Davis with the Los Angeles division of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Davis also said the ATF had successfully traced the four guns recovered in connection with the shooting and determined that two of the weapons were purchased legally by one of the suspects (she refuse to name). The assault rifles were a .223-caliber DPMS Panther Arms Model A15 and a Smith and Wesson M&P 15. While on the hajj (an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca) in Saudi Arabia in the spring of 2014, Farook married a woman he had met online. The couple have a 6-month-old baby. The couple left their baby with Farook's mother in Redlands Wednesday morning. They told her they were going to attend a doctor's appointment for the wife. Colleagues say Farook was a devout Muslim, but rarely discussed religion at work. “He never struck me as a fanatic, he never struck me as suspicious,” said Griselda Reisinger, who had worked with Farook. Farook's family was originally from South Asia [the exact country isn't being mentioned], while Malik was believed to be from Pakistan and had lived in Saudi Arabia before coming to the United States. Syed Farook's father, also named Syed Farook, said “He was very religious. He would go to work, come back, go to pray, come back. He’s Muslim.” 'You and I know, that women, we wouldn't leave a six month old - our baby - to do this, to don tactical gear to go in and kill a bunch of people,' commented California Senator Dianne Feinstein. 'It's not something a woman would easily do. So it's going to be very interesting for me to see what her background was, what level of animus she had, because she had to have had a considerable level. This was his grievance. A woman is a woman. And her child has to be of maximum importance to her.' ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Update - December 3, 2015 The FBI says the married couple who murdered 14 people at a social services center had built more than a dozen pipe bombs and stockpiled thousands of rounds of ammunition. They fired as many as 150 bullets at victims and police officers. The FBI has begun treating the case as a counterterrorism investigation. The suspects’ extensive arsenal, their recent Middle East travels and evidence that one had been in touch with people with Islamist extremist views, both in the U.S. and abroad, all contributed to the decision to refocus the investigation. In addition to the 14 people killed, the authorities now say 21 were injured, four more than originally indicated. The attack was the nation’s deadliest mass shooting since the assault on an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., nearly three years ago. Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and Tashfeen Malik, 27, fired 65 to 75 rifle rounds inside the center, leaving behind four spent high-capacity magazines. Cornered after a car chase, they are believed to have fired 76 rifle rounds at the officers. Police fired approximately 380 rounds at the suspects. Farook and Malik left behind 1,400 rounds of ammunition and three pipe bombs attached to a remote-control device at the Inland Regional Center which did not detonate. Within their rented Ford Expedition, the couple had 1,400 rounds of ammunition for their rifles and 200 for handguns. At their Redlands’ home, police found over 2,500 rounds for the assault rifles, more than 2,000 for the pistols, several hundred rounds for a .22-caliber rifle, and 12 pipe bombs. There were also supplies for making more. The FBI has learned that Farook was in contact over several years with extremists domestically and abroad, including at least one person in the U.S. who was investigated for suspected terrorism by federal authorities in recent years. Officials call the case perplexing, saying that no clear evidence of terrorism had emerged, though the attack was clearly premeditated. The victims were Mr. Farook’s co-workers at the county health department, and the shooting may have involved grievances against them, but it did fit the mold for workplace violence, either. The idea that this was a workplace argument that spiraled out of control seems far-fetched, the officials said, given the explosives and the preparation. “You don’t take your wife to a workplace shooting, and especially not as prepared as they were,” say police.“He could have been radicalized, ready to go with some type of attack, and then had a dispute at work and decided to do something.” An overnight review of Mr. Farook’s electronic devices did not provide clear answers to investigators’ questions. The FBI sys it has investigated thousands of Muslims for potential ties to terrorists in the years since 911, many of whom were never linked to any crimes. The details about Mr. Farook that have emerged, including the arsenal he and his wife had indicating a preparedness to commit violence on a large scale, have prompted investigators to look deeper into whether he had connections to militants or extremist ideology. Farook, a United States citizen, was born in Illinois to Pakistani immigrant parents. Family members said he had been a devout Sunni Muslim, and on a dating website several years ago, he listed Urdu as his mother tongue. He had gone to Saudi Arabia multiple times, including a 2013 trip for the annual hajj, the trip to Mecca that all Muslims are expected to complete at least once. Farook visited Pakistan last year, and that he and Malik entered the United States from Pakistan in July 2014. She traveled on a Pakistani passport and entered the United States in July 2014 on a K-1 visa, a 90-day visa given to fiancés planning to marry Americans. The couple applied on Sept. 30, 2014, for a permanent resident green card for Malik, which requires passing pass criminal and national security background checks using F.B.I. and Department of Homeland Security databases, and she was granted a conditional green card in July 2015. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Update - December 5, 2015 The FBI says there was "some kind" of contact between Farook and people from the Nusra Front and the radical al-Shabab group in Somalia, without providing more details. Authorities are trying to determine if they had any weapons or terror training in Pakistan. Tashfeen Malik, 27, using an alias on social media (Facebook), pledged her allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi while the massacre was underway. (Clearly they planned to die as martyrs, and delayed their "statement" until the last minute, so that Homeland and/or NSA monitors wouldn't have a chance to respond in time.) Pakistan-born Malik moved to Saudi Arabia 25 years ago when she was about 4 years old. When she was older, she likely moved back and forth between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, according to the Saudi Arabian government. In 2007, she returned to Pakistan to study at Bahuddin Zakri University in Multan and stayed until 2012, according to Pakistani intelligence. Malik met Syed Nazrim Farook, an ethnic Pakistani born in Chicago, on a dating website. Farook might have met Malik or her family in Saudi Arabia during a trip there in the fall of 2013. After another trip in July 2014, Farook returned to the U.S. with Malik. The couple was married the next month. Malik came to the U.S. on a K1 “fiancé” visa, which allows an American fiancé to petition for his or her partner’s temporary entry before marriage. For the visa application, the address she listed as her Pakistani hometown does not exist. Six months ago, the couple had a baby daughter and named her according to Arab tradition, rather than Pakistani. Malik received a her U.S. “green card” this summer. Saudi intelligence officials did not have Malik on a watch lists and she did not appear to have any link to extremists in the region. Neither Malik or Farook were on the FBI’s watch lists. Tashfeen Malik, 27, wore a burka so she was never seen by the men, and didn’t speak to male relatives. When family visited her home, the women would sit with the women and the men would sit with the men. Malik's estranged relatives say she and her father abandoned the family's moderate Islam and became more radicalized during years they spent in Saudi Arabia. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FBI agents on Saturday raided a Riverside home belonging to a friend and former neighbor of Farook. Three years ago, Enrique Marquez, Jr. purchased the semi-automatic rifles for Farook which were used in the massacre. Enrique Marquez, Jr. and Farook appeared to be good friends. Farook, his parents and siblings lived on Tomlinson Avenue for several years before moving out a few months ago. Marquez lived next door. While Farook generally kept to himself, the one exception was his friendship with Marquez, who like him, enjoyed tinkering with cars. On Thursday, Marquez's stepfather Gustavo Ramirez said he mysteriously hadn't heard from Marquez since Wednesday afternoon (the day of the shootout), saying it was unlike Marquez not to come home. Now it's reported that Marquez, who has not been charged with a crime, admitted himself to a mental health facility in Long Beach, California, after Wednesday's attack and has been unavailable for questioning. A neighbor said the friendship between Marquez and Farook seemed to end abruptly about three years ago.Around that time, she was surprised to see them both standing on the street one day without acknowledging one another. After that, she said, she did not see them together again. Several neighbors said they noticed about two years ago that Farook had begun wearing traditional Pakistani clothing - a long tunic and an Islamic prayer cap, and also began growing his beard out. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Witnesses say Tashfeen Malik was the first to open fire on her husband's co-workers at a government department party in San Bernardino,, while Syed Farook, 28, appeared to 'hesitate'. Intelligence sources fear Malik may have been a terrorist who traveled to the U.S. to marry Farook with the sole purpose of carrying out a deadly attack. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- .

http://blog.caranddriver.com/this-crazy-one-off-amphibious-corvair-pickup-can-be-yours/ http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2015/12/01/air-cooled-but-water-bound-one-off-corphibian-floats-to-auction/

Russia outlines Turkey’s involvement in ISIS oil trade Reuters / December 2, 2015 Russia's defense ministry on Wednesday shared evidence that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his family were benefiting from the illegal smuggling of oil from ISIS-held territory in Syria and Iraq. At a briefing in Moscow, defense ministry officials displayed satellite images showing columns of tanker trucks loading with oil at ISIS-controlled installations in Syria and Iraq, and then crossing the border into neighboring Turkey. "Turkey is the main consumer of the oil stolen from its rightful owners, Syria and Iraq. According to information we've received, the senior political leadership of the country - President Erdogan and his family - are involved in this criminal business," said Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov. "Maybe I'm being too blunt, but one can only entrust control over this thieving business to one's closest associates." "In the West, no one has asked questions about the fact that the Turkish president's son heads one of the biggest energy companies, or that his son-in-law has been appointed energy minister. What a marvelous family business!" "The cynicism of the Turkish leadership knows no limits. Look what they're doing. They went into someone else's country, they are robbing it without compunction," Antonov said. The Russian defense ministry also explained how the same criminal networks which were smuggling oil into Turkey were also supplying weapons, equipment and training to Islamic State and other Islamist groups. "According to our reliable intelligence data, Turkey has been carrying out such operations for a long period and on a regular basis. And most importantly, it does not plan to stop them," said Sergei Rudskoy, deputy head of the Russian military's General Staff. Despite evidence of ISIS oil smuggling, the US-led coalition in Syria and Iraq is not striking convoys of oil trucks heading to Turkey, Russia’s General Staff has said. “It’s hard not to notice” the thousands of trucks used by terrorists for oil smuggling, says Lieutenant General Sergey Rudskoy, deputy commander of the General Staff. “However, we see no strikes on those convoys by the coalition - only a tripling in the number of strategic UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) has been observed,” he said. The deputy commander stressed that defeating IS would be impossible without curbing its main source of income - the illegal oil trade - and urged the coalition to strike IS oil infrastructure. Since September 30, when its airstrikes in Syria began, Russia has destroyed 32 ISIS oil complexes, 11 refineries, 23 oil pump stations and 1,080 tanker trucks. “The income of this terrorist organization was about US$3 million per day. After two months of Russian airstrikes their income was about $1.5 million a day,” Rudskoy said. Also on Wednesday, a prominent Iraqi politician said he had addressed the US military on the issue of stopping the illegal IS oil trade, but had received a negative reply. “I have personally contacted US representatives asking them to target ISIS trucks transporting Iraqi and Syrian oil to Turkey, only to be told that they were civilian targets so they [the US] could not attack them,” says Mowaffak al-Rubaie, leader of the State of Law Coalition party in the Iraqi parliament. U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said U.S. information was that ISIS was selling oil at the wellheads to middlemen who were involved in smuggling it across the frontier into Turkey. Russian officials described three main routes by which they said oil and oil products were smuggled from Islamic State territory into Turkey. The ministry said the Western route took oil produced at fields near the Syrian city of Raqqa to the settlement of Azaz on the border with Turkey. From there the columns of tanker trucks pass through the Turkish town of Reyhanli, the ministry said, citing what it said were satellite pictures of hundreds of such trucks moving through the border crossing without obstruction. "There is no inspection of the vehicles carried out ... on the Turkish side," said Rudskoy. Some of the smuggled cargoes go to the Turkish domestic market, while some is exported via the Turkish Mediterranean ports of Iskenderun and Dortyol, the ministry said. Another main route for smuggled oil runs from Deir Ez-zour in Syria to the Syrian border crossing at Al-Qamishli. The trucks then took the crude for refining at the Turkish city of Batman. A third route took oil from eastern Syria and western Iraq into the south-eastern corner of Turkey.

The Local DE / December 2, 2015 Only 29 out of Germany's 66 Tornado jets (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Panavia_Tornado_IDS_of_Luftwaffe,_static_display,_Radom_AirShow_2005,_Poland.jpg) – the type slated to see action on reconnaissance flights over Syria – are airworthy, a Defence Ministry report showed on Wednesday. "The state of our flying systems remains unsatisfactory," Bundeswehr (German army) chief of staff General Volker Wieker wrote in the report, although he added that the army had managed to "stabilize" its deteriorating readiness. Germany's Tornados, fighter-bombers designed to fight Soviet forces during the Cold War, are all between 23 and 34 years old and are seen as on their way out of service. But Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen insisted that Germany would be able to fulfil its commitments to ally France for the fight against Isis. "Thirty Tornados are ready for action, and we need six of them. That gives us a wide margin," von der Leyen said. Equipment troubles have plagued the Bundeswehr for years, especially the Luftwaffe (air force), several of whose aircraft ran into technical problems while delivering weapons to Kurds fighting Isis in northern Iraq and field hospitals to West African countries battling the Ebola outbreak. The full parliament is set to vote on Friday on whether to go ahead with the government's plans to join the battle against Isis in Syria with 1,200 soldiers. As well as the Tornados outfitted with reconnaissance equipment, Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to send an air refuelling tanker and a navy frigate to join the coalition.

Perhaps that's not the best picture, at least for people unaccustomed to seeing the TGX. Not to flatter a competitor, but the TGX is a cutting edge truck. There's not one U.S. market truck that holds a candle to it. When I saw Paccar's new Kenworth T680 and Peterbilt Model 579 at Louisville (MATS) in 2012, I thought they had a face that only a mother could love, with their droopy face and Little Tikes exterior design cues.

Many Iraqis believe the U.S. is helping ISIS The Washington Post / December 1, 2015 On the front lines of the battle against the Islamic State, suspicion of the United States runs deep. Iraqi fighters say they have all seen the videos purportedly showing U.S. helicopters airdropping weapons to the militants, and many claim they have friends and relatives who have witnessed similar instances of collusion. Ordinary people also have seen the videos, heard the stories and reached the same conclusion — one that might seem absurd to Americans but is widely believed among Iraqis — that the United States is supporting the Islamic State for a variety of pernicious reasons that have to do with asserting U.S. control over Iraq, the wider Middle East and, perhaps, its oil. “It is not in doubt,” said Mustafa Saadi, who says his friend saw U.S. helicopters delivering bottled water to Islamic State positions. He is a commander in one of the Shiite militias that last month helped push the militants out of the oil refinery near Baiji in northern Iraq alongside the Iraqi army. The Islamic State is “almost finished,” he said. “They are weak. If only America would stop supporting them, we could defeat them in days.” U.S. military officials say the charges are too far-fetched to merit a response. “It’s beyond ridiculous,” said Col. Steve Warren, the military’s Baghdad-based spokesman. “There’s clearly no one in the West who buys it, but unfortunately, this is something that a segment of the Iraqi population believes.” The perception among Iraqis that the United States is somehow in cahoots with the militants it claims to be fighting appears, however, to be widespread across the country’s Sunni-Shiite sectarian divide, and it speaks to more than just the troubling legacy of mistrust that has clouded the United States’ relationship with Iraq since the 2003 invasion and the subsequent withdrawal eight years later. At a time when attacks by the Islamic State in Paris and elsewhere have intensified calls for tougher action on the ground, such is the level of suspicion with which the United States is viewed in Iraq that it is unclear whether the Obama administration would be able to significantly escalate its involvement even if it wanted to. In one example of how little leverage the United States now has, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi pushed back swiftly against an announcement Tuesday by Defense Secretary ­Ashton B. Carter that an expeditionary force of U.S. troops will be dispatched to Iraq to conduct raids, free hostages and capture Islamic State leaders. Iraq’s semiautonomous region of Kurdistan, where support for the United States remains strong, has said it would welcome more troops. But Abadi indicated they would not be needed. “There is no need for foreign ground combat troops,” he said in a statement. “Any such support and special operations anywhere in Iraq can only be deployed subject to the approval of the Iraqi Government and in coordination with the Iraqi forces and with full respect to Iraqi sovereignty.” The allegations of U.S. collusion with the Islamic State are aired regularly in parliament by Shiite politicians and promoted in postings on social media. They are persistent enough to suggest a deliberate campaign on the part of Iran’s allies in Iraq to erode American influence, U.S. officials say. In one typical recent video that appeared on the Facebook page of a Shiite militia, a lawmaker with the country’s biggest militia group, the Badr Organization, waves apparently new U.S military MREs (meals ready to eat) — one of them chicken and dumplings — allegedly found at a recently captured Islamic State base in Baiji, offering proof, he said, of U.S. support. “The Iranians and the Iranian-backed Shiite militias are really pushing this line of propaganda, that the United States is supporting ISIL,” Warren said. “It’s part of the Iranian propaganda machine.” The perception plays into a widening rift within Iraq’s ruling Shiite elite over whether to pivot more toward Iran or the United States. Those pushing the allegations “want to create a narrative that Iran is our ally and the United States is our enemy, and this undermines Abadi, who is America’s ally,” Sowell said. Iraqi government officials say they don’t believe the charges and point out that Abadi regularly pushes back against them. But Abadi’s own position has weakened in recent months. He is battling for his political survival against a variety of Shiite militia leaders whose power has been bolstered by the increasingly dominant role played on the battlefield by the militias, collectively known as Hashd al-Shaabi, or popular mobilization units. Iraqi officials complain that their task is hampered by what is universally perceived as the lackluster U.S. response to the threat posed by the Islamic State. “We don’t believe the Americans support Daesh,” said Naseer Nouri, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State. “But it is true that most people are saying they do, and they are right to believe that the Americans should be doing much more than they are. It’s because America is so slow that most people believe they are supporting Daesh.” U.S. warplanes routinely fail to respond to requests for air support because of U.S. rules of engagement that preclude strikes if there is a risk civilians may be hit, he said. According to Warren, that standard frequently is not met. The United States has conducted more than 3,768 strikes in Iraq as of Nov.­ 19, according to the U.S. military, and the tempo of strikes has increased lately, U.S. officials say. But it also appears that the fighters are unaware when they do receive U.S. air support. The U.S. military reported near-daily strikes in support of the offensive to recapture Baiji last month and continues to respond regularly to requests for strikes in the vicinity, Warren said. The fighters there insist there have been no strikes by the Americans at all. “We’d be better off without them,” said 1st Lt. Murtada Fadl, who is serving with the Iraqi elite forces in Baiji. He said that the only air support had come from the Iraqi air force and that he wishes the government would ask the Russians to replace the Americans. In a part of the world where outcomes are often confused with intentions and regional complexities enable conspiracy theories to thrive, the notion that the United States is colluding with the Islamic State holds a certain logic, according to Mustafa Alani, director of the Dubai-based Gulf Research Center. Most Arabs are too in awe of American might to believe that the United States is deliberately adopting a minimalist approach, he said. “The reason is that the Americans aren’t doing the job people expect them to do,” he said. “Mosul was lost and the Americans did nothing. Syria was lost and the Americans did nothing. Paris is attacked and the Americans aren’t doing much. So people believe this is a deliberate policy. They can’t believe the American leadership fails to understand the developments in the region, and so the only other explanation is that this is part of a conspiracy.” On the streets of Baghdad, most Iraqis see no other explanation. “The image of the U.S. was damaged in the region, so they created Daesh in order to fight them and restore their image,” said Mohammed Abdul Khaleq, a journalist for a local TV station who was drinking coffee in a cafe favored by writers, most of whom said they agreed.

FYI Volvo brand 3rd quarter North America orders fell 30 percent. Mack brand 3rd quarter North America orders fell 51 percent. http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/42364-mack-third-quarter-deliveries-increase-6-percent/?hl=51 Ford is adding 2,000 jobs at Louisville, the result of a $1.3 billion upgrade and expansion (http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/42891-ford-plans-13-billion-upgrade-of-kentucky-truck-plant/).

Layoff at Dublin Volvo plant comes as union contract nears expiration The Roanoke Times / December 1, 2015 Those in and around Pulaski County’s Volvo truck plant, one of the largest employers in Western Virginia, were coming to terms Tuesday with another announcement of a mass layoff. Volvo will lay off 734 production employees over a three-week period in February, news that county officials first learned after a notice the company filed Tuesday. That represents a quarter of the plant’s workforce. The announcement came just two months after politicians and other officials met at the plant to trumpet a $38 million expansion. The layoff announcement also came the day before the plant’s United Auto Workers Local Chapter 2069 is set to vote on whether or not leadership can authorize a strike in the future, according to the union’s Facebook page. Early next year, a five-year agreement from 2011 between the union and Volvo is set to expire. When that agreement was ratified by the union in 2011, Volvo rehired about 700 workers who had previously been laid off. Multiple union leaders and members declined to speak with The Roanoke Times on Tuesday afternoon. Volvo spokesman John Mies wrote in an email that the layoffs are the result of economic shifts and have nothing to do with any other factors at the plant. “We regret having to take this action, but we operate in a cyclical market, and we have to adapt to market demand,” he wrote. “The North American truck market is going through an industry-wide correction. Highway customers, who drove much of the recent market growth, have largely accomplished the expansion and renewal of their fleets, so demand from that segment in particular is softening. “The U.S. economy also is navigating through a soft interval caused by high inventory levels, which has decreased manufacturing and freight levels.” The layoffs announcement at Volvo comes on the heels of the late-September economic development announcement by Gov. Terry McAuliffe at the plant. At that time, Volvo pledged to invest $38.1 million and add 32 jobs as part of a project to add a new customer experience center. The new 36,000-square-foot center will feature a theater, training rooms and an observation area where people can watch trucks on the company’s test track. Mies said at the time the project should be done by the end of 2016. He said Tuesday that the project will go forward. In 2014, a similar announcement was made for a $69 million investment to add 200 jobs. It appears those 200 jobs may now be lost. Volvo’s layoffs don’t bode well for the New River Valley economy and dampen the efforts of business groups that exist specifically to help the largely rural region attract major companies, officials said Tuesday. Charlie Jewell, executive director of the New River Economic Development Alliance, said it’s sad to think about the aftermath for the employees. “That was the first thought,” said Jewell, whose organization markets the region to potential outside employers. “It’s the cyclical nature of the heavy truck assembly industry. It’s not uncommon that Volvo has layoffs, but this is for sure one of the largest ones they’ve had in recent years.” One of the more recent major layoffs at Volvo occurred in 2009 when the Dublin plant axed 431 employees. That move brought the plant’s workforce to just under 1,000. Jewell said he remains optimistic about the plant’s future. “I’m hopeful that they will have some bounce back and that economic conditions will improve and they will be able to have more orders,” he said. For the time being, Jewell said his organization “will continue to market the region and try to recover new recruitment opportunities for companies to relocate to the New River Valley.” “They help diversify the employment base for not only Pulaski County, but the New River Valley,” he said. Jewell pointed to recent success examples in Korona Candles and Red Sun Farms’ high-tech greenhouse, both of which are in Dublin, like Volvo. Korona and Red Sun opened their New River Valley facilities at about this time last year. Korona has about 160 employees, while Red Sun announced in 2013 that it would eventually bring up to 205 jobs in the area. Red Sun’s greenhouse currently occupies 28 acres, but Jewell said the company plans to expand its Dublin operations to roughly 60 acres through future phases. Jewell said the state Rapid Response team, which operates locally through the New River Community College, plans to work with Volvo workers that will be affected. The team, he said, provides a variety of services to workers hit by layoffs and plant closings through activities such as financial management seminars, skills training and assistance with job searches. Michael Solomon, the county’s economic development director, said the Volvo layoff notice came as a result of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, which requires companies to give advanced notice before initiating a mass layoff. Solomon said the state team has already been put in place to help the affected employees find jobs. “My hope is that the systems in place will be able to help out these people,” Solomon said. “And we’ll help them out any way we can.” The 1.6-million-square-foot plant in Pulaski County is the largest Volvo truck manufacturing facility in the world and the largest employer in Pulaski County with 2,800 workers. It’s the birthplace of every Volvo tractor-trailer on North American highways, according to the company.

Associated Press / December 1, 2015 Volvo Trucks will lay off 734 production workers at its plant in southwest Virginia due to a slowdown in demand, the company disclosed Tuesday. Layoffs at the New River Valley Assembly Plant in Dublin will take place over three weeks starting in early February, company spokesman John Mies said. He added that Volvo must adapt to market changes including a decline in demand for long-haul trucks. "We're seeing that highway truck customers, who drove much of the recent market growth in America, have largely accomplished the renewal of their fleet, so demand from that segment in particular is softening," Mies said. The 1.6-million-square-foot plant currently employs 2,800 workers and is the largest Volvo truck manufacturing facility in the world. The company still intends to move forward with its plan to spend $38.1 million in upgrades at the plant, Mies said. Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced in September that Volvo Trucks would build a 36,000-square-foot facility in Dublin, in Virginia's Pulaski County, featuring a product showroom, training rooms, a 200-seat theater and an observation area for viewing trucks on a 1.1-mile "customer experience" track. Suzanne Clark, spokeswoman for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, stressed that Volvo operates in a cyclical market and said she's confident that jobs will return to the Volvo plant when demand in the trucking industry recovers. "This will certainly have an effect on economic development in Pulaski County, but, as always, we're hopeful to identify any opportunity to help with the transition and help the region recover," Clark said. An economic development official for Pulaski County and representatives from United Auto Workers Local 2069, which represents some of the plant's workers, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. Related reading: http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/42752-volvo-to-cut-production-in-december-january/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/42494-layoffs-likely-to-hit-mack-trucks/

MAN Truck & Bus Press Release / December 1, 2015 The new features: EfficientCruise combined with EfficientRoll // Driveline with TipMatic TX and new convenience functions // New safety system, LED daytime driving lights and automatic rain/light sensors As part of the 2016 model year, MAN is offering its customers several upgraded equipment features in the TGX D38. The top model is tailor-made for extraordinarily efficient driving at low speeds. For its flagship model, MAN is placing a consistent focus on the total cost of operation (TCO): the TGX D38 driveline has undergone rigorous development and, since summer 2015, has featured a new generation of gearboxes in the form of the MAN TipMatic TX, along with extended convenience functions. In the new model generation, the EfficientCruise assistant uses even more functions to save fuel. EfficientCruise and EfficientRoll Since the EfficientCruise GPS cruise control system was launched on the market, the system has been impressing customers and specialist media with its driver-orientated adjustment, detailed route preview and fuel savings of around six percent. MAN has already sold approximately 9000 vehicles with EfficientCruise. MAN has further improved the anticipatory speed adjustment of the EfficientCruise system. In the 2016 model generation, the system also controls the EfficientRoll coasting mode, thereby combining the advantages of both systems. In conjunction with EfficientRoll, the new EfficientCruise always activates the coasting function if this will actually save fuel. To do this, the system uses stored 3D map information of the route. Furthermore, EfficientCruise actively proactively intervenes in the gear selection and shifts down to the most appropriate gear in good time before inclines so that there is no interruption to tractive force when going uphill. For short inclines, the vehicle completely prevents downshifts if possible. To save more fuel, the vehicle shifts up in good time once the hill has been climbed. The system is based on a route preview that is calculated using the 3D map information saved on the on-board computer and the vehicle's location based on satellite signals (GPS). This means the vehicle automatically drives in a forward-looking manner – in other words, it builds up momentum before the incline and then reduces speed to roll over the brow of the hill. Using EfficientCruise in long-haul or distribution transport can lower a vehicle's fuel consumption by up to six per cent without incurring any time loss along the way. The assistant supports the driver on long distances by taking over the challenging task of always knowing when it is best to accelerate. The assistant's tried and trusted operation will not change with the 2016 generation: based on the desired speed chosen by the driver and the speed tolerance that can be set to four levels, EfficientCruise calculates the suitable speed for consumption-optimised driving on uphill and downhill gradients and adapts the vehicle speed accordingly. The driver can adjust the tolerance level for deviations from the set speed at any time to suit the driving scenario. Four field-tested levels make it easier for the driver to choose the right setting. When switching on, level 3 is selected automatically, which corresponds to a spread of +/- 7 km/h. Level 4 allows for even greater leeway both upwards and downwards for low traffic volumes; levels 1 and 2 are good driving options when traffic is heavier. Optimised driveline with new convenience functions The MAN top model uncompromisingly combines driving dynamics and fuel efficiency. The two-stage-turbocharging makes full torque available for the engine at 930 rpm. The maximum torques of 2500 Nm (520 hp), 2700 Nm (560 hp) and 3000 Nm (640 hp heavy duty) are available in all gear speeds. The TGX D38 is therefore tailor-made for extraordinarily efficient long-haul driving at low speeds. Customers can select fuel-saving high drive ratios without sacrificing drive comfort or losing out on flexibility. To do this, MAN has carried out consistent development of the TGX D38 driveline and integrated the MAN TipMatic TX gearbox generation with new convenience functions in the vehicle. The direct-drive version of the TipMatic TX gearbox is designed for the high torque of 2500 to 2700 Nm produced by the D38 engines. This means MAN is able to offer particularly efficient driveline configurations for all performance levels for long-haul driving and for traction vehicles with a gross train weight of up to 70 tonnes. The MAN TipMatic TX has a particularly high spread across the 12 gears (16.69–1). A low transmission ratio for the “highest” gear allows it to be combined with axle transmission optimised for long-haul transport, thus saving fuel when driving at very low speeds. At the same time, a high transmission ratio for the “lowest” gear allows for slow driving and convenient manoeuvring, despite the low rear axle transmission. This reduces the wear on the clutch. For customers buying the top model, they can choose from a wide range of convenience functions for the driveline. These functions ensure the TGX D38 is particularly efficient at high capacity. Gradient sensor and Active Damping: thanks to the integrated gradient sensor, the TGX D38 takes the current topography into account when selecting a gear. The driveline always finds the right gear for moving off – whether driving uphill, with an empty vehicle or with full loads. The high transmission-ratio spread and a newly developed clutch actuator help to achieve excellent moving-off and manoeuvring behaviour. The new “Active Driveline Damping” function helps the driver move off smoothly, even under difficult driving conditions, while an anti-cyclic, pulsed clutch actuator counteracts vibrations in the driveline. Manoeuvring feature and rocking-free function: MAN has optimised the manoeuvring feature in the new generation: the interaction between the accelerator position and clutch controls has been designed to function even more smoothly, so that the driver can manoeuvre more accurately at the loading ramp or when picking up swap bodies. The MAN TGX D38 also offers a rocking-free function. This makes it easier for vehicles to move off when stuck on snow-covered roads or on construction sites, for example. If the function is activated, the clutch opens very quickly, so long as the driver has lifted off the accelerator. If the accelerator is pressed again the clutch closes, allowing the driver to carefully rock the vehicle free. A suitable gear is selected automatically here in order to reduce the torque to the drive wheels and thus avoid wheel spin. Speed shifting: thanks to the engine, clutch and gearbox control being specially coordinated, the MAN TipMatic TX shifts between the three highest gears – 10th, 11th and 12th – more quickly. This means, for example, that the gearbox can shift down more quickly when going uphill and the torque for tractive force interruption is shortened. This in turn means that greater momentum is maintained, saving the vehicle's fuel. EfficientRoll: the EfficientRoll gearbox function is designed for motorway and country road stretches that run gently downhill. Even on almost flat stretches, fuel can be saved as the vehicle automatically shifts to neutral and coasts, without the vehicle's speed being reduced by engine braking. The new generation EfficientCruise assistant automatically activates EfficientRoll and always when fuel can be saved. Idle Speed Driving: the Idle Speed Driving function uses the high torque of the 15.2-litre engine at low speeds, providing greater comfort when driving slowly and allowing for greater fuel-savings. This is particularly practical in stop-go traffic or when coasting up to a roundabout. In such situations, the vehicle will continue to move forward with the engine at idling speed and the clutch closed, as long as the driver does not brake. New generation safety systems with sensor fusion An emergency braking assistant is fitted as standard in the MAN TGX D38. This includes all vehicle types affected by carriage recertification requirements from November 2015, and therefore the vast majority of MAN trucks. The EBA emergency braking assistant fitted by MAN since July 2015 already exceeds the stricter legal requirements for Level 2 which come into force in November 2018 for newly registered vehicles. This means that customers are purchasing a high-value and future-proof system. MAN's new generation of the EBA emergency braking system combines information from the radar sensor in the front end and from the windscreen-mounted camera. This sensor fusion allows the system to make trustworthy interpretations of situations on the road. Vehicles in front and stationary obstructions can be identified faster and with greater certitude. The system thus gains time to initiate emergency braking earlier if so required. In an emergency the vehicle can thus shed more speed and come to a halt some valuable metres sooner. The EBA reacts to a detected emergency braking object and to the absence of driver response (either a change of lane or braking) with a number of measures spread over time. The driver is warned first by a penetrating warning tone and a message on the display. At this moment, the brake lines are already pre-filled so as to shorten the response. At the same time, the brake lights are activated, in order to give timely warning to vehicles behind. In addition, the MAN EBA system cuts the engine torque as early as the warning phase. This represents a further noticeable warning effect for a driver who may not be paying attention. Should the driver not react, the brakes will be applied automatically as a warning (warning braking). If the risk of collision is still likely and the driver is failing to react, the EBA initiates emergency braking which under ideal conditions prevents driving into the obstacle, even from full speed at 80 km/h. The interaction of the radar and camera significantly reduces the risk of unjustified warnings since two technologies can be used for object recognition. MAN thus achieves its aim of bothering the driver as little as possible with warning signals. Emergency Stop Signal (ESS) In the event of emergency braking, the Emergency Stop Signal (ESS) activates not only the brake lights but also the hazard warning lights which flash rapidly (emergency braking flashing) and thus signal an emergency situation to vehicles behind. Trials have demonstrated that timely warning helps prevent rear-end shunts. The new Lane Guard System (LGS) and ACC The new Lane Guard System (LGS) uses the latest camera technology. This makes for greater accuracy in lane detection and a minimum of unjustified warnings. At speeds above 60 km/h the LGS monitors the vehicle's position with respect to the lane and warns the driver should he accidentally cross the lane markings. Additional functions improve the driver's comfort. The new system detects autonomously when lane conditions change: a reliable warning is only possible when right-hand and left-hand lane markings are present and the lane exceeds a minimum width. The new LGS also takes into account the fact that many drivers for the sake of safety like to drive on the outside of the lane - that is, at the right edge in countries which drive on the right - and for this side of the lane gives a warning later. The system also adjusts automatically to whether the country drives on the left or on the right. The driver can thus enjoy the pleasure of an adaptive warning philosophy. The Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), which is regulated by distance, automatically adapts the speed of travel on motorways and dual carriageways and maintains a suitable safety gap. ACC is an intelligent development of cruise control which also controls vehicles' brake systems. This particularly supports the driver on long stretches of motorway driving. Automatically maintaining the correct safety distance significantly increases road safety. The new ACC works to do this with two independent sensor systems: a radar and a camera. When the radar sensor detects vehicles ahead, it calculates their speed, distance and position in relation to your vehicle. The camera in the windscreen independently recognises objects and also records the roadway markings. The camera and radar are in constant communication and compare their results. This means the vehicle in front can be detected with a high level of precision and reliability even on difficult routes. The MAN system with a camera and radar functions more reliably on twisty country roads than systems that solely rely on a radar. The EPS anti-slip function is also fitted as standard, and additionally controls semitrailer and trailer braking. LED daytime driving lights and automatic rain/light sensors From early 2016, the front of the TGS and TGX models will feature a new, more striking light design with LED daytime driving lights in the main headlights. This will include an integrated horizontal light bar, which will be permanently active during driving. The LED side lights and the LED daytime driving lights will be implemented here with different brightness levels. The LED daytime driving lights will provide increased visibility while consuming significantly less energy. From early 2016, it will be possible to fit an automatic lighting system on all models on request. If the driver selects the "Auto" function on the light switch, the vehicle will automatically switch the dipped headlights on and off based on the ambient light level. For example, when darkness falls or when driving through a tunnel during the day, the low-beam headlights are automatically switched on via a twilight sensor. The low-beam headlights are also activated in the rain (if the windscreen wiper is switched on continuously). This means other road users can see your vehicle more easily. The limiting lights and side marker lights are also controlled by the system. The automatic lighting system can also be combined with an automatic rain sensing system if required. This system switches the windscreen wiper on and off, and controls the wiping interval up to continuous wiping. The sensitivity of the automatic rain sensing system can be adjusted by the driver ergonomically and intuitively by turning a rotary control on the drop arm. The driver can select the interval-pause length in four setting steps. The large rain-sensing surface at the lower edge of the windscreen used by the MAN system guarantees the rain intensity is detected very reliably. Positive impact on TCO The new features anticipated for the 2016 model year will have a positive impact upon total cost of ownership (TCO). The overall benefit of the separate and distinct saving effects of the new MAN EfficientCruise combined with EfficientRoll and the functionalities of the TipMatic TX gearbox will be clearly apparent to the operator when maintaining the vehicle. For those fleets that set high standards in terms of transportation efficiency, vehicles from the TGX D38 series are therefore also recommended. In late autumn 2015, using employees and external drivers, MAN completed test drives of the MAN TGX D38 already with the 2016 model year efficiency features on a route of moderately difficult topography in Eastern and Northern Bavaria. The TGX 18.560 4x2 BLS, the current flagship of the MAN long-haul fleet, was up against the previous top-of-the-range product from the Euro 5 period - the TGX 18.680 4x2 BLS with the 120 HP more powerful V8 engine. With reduced consumption of around 15 percent, the result came out very clearly in favour of the current top fuel saving system. Another positive aspect was the fact that the MAN TGX D38 had virtually the same average speed (a difference of 1 to 2 km/h). With the MAN EfficientCruise able to read the topography of the route, the driver also reported feeling more relaxed at the end of the drive. Without this assistance system, the driver of the TGX V8 did not have this option as he was only able to see as far as the crest of the next hill and was thus unable to use the accelerator in an optimal way for the route. Visual improvements: MAN style packages in the TGX MAN is introducing three style packages for the TGX series - Euro 6 version - as new for the start of 2016. These will improve the look of the vehicle and heighten the appeal to those drivers who love to customise their working vehicle. In-plant assembly means that the subsequent addition of supplier parts is no longer required. The customer receives everything from MAN from a single source with the necessary entries in the vehicle papers. The exterior style package includes steps and a set of roof-fitted headlights in stainless steel, two compressed air horns on the roof, sunblind and door extension. Both stainless steel front and side bars and stainless steel front axle covers and wheel nut caps can be added to this package as an option. The basic style package is slightly less comprehensive. This comprises door extension, sunblind, compressed-air horns and a Metal Eye insert in the instrument panel. The style package improves both the interior and exterior of the MAN TGX. The leather lining, leather seat covers, multifunction steering wheel and Metal Eye insert contribute to the high-quality feel of the interior. The door extension, sunblind and air horn are part of this externally. As is usual with packages, these offer the customer benefits in price terms compared to ordering equipment options individually. The new MAN features for the 2016 model year It is not just the trucks in the MAN TGX D38 series that are being upgraded for the MAN 2016 model year. The following table provides an overview of the features that will be available in each series. MAN TipMatic TX TGX D38 1) MAN EfficientCruise new TGX 1) TGS 1) LED daytime driving lights TGX TGS Automatic rain and light functions TGX TGS TGM 1) TGL 1) Euro 6 onlyPhoto gallery - http://www.corporate.man.eu/en/press-and-media/presscenter/Updating-the-flagship_-in-the-2016-model-year_-the-TGX-D38-will-be-even-more-interesting-229121.html .

Scania Group Press Release / December 1, 2015 Dutch transport company Getron has boosted profitability by 1.8 percent after switching to connected vehicles and ensuring that all its drivers receive coaching from Scania.

Scania Group Press Release / December 1, 2015 Scania’s connected vehicles allow Aconcagua Transportes to keep track of its fleet all over Argentina, the eighth largest country in the world. Aconcagua Transportes SRL was one of the first companies to test Scania’s Fleet Management System as part of a pilot project in Argentina in 2011. Now four years later, in October 2015, the company has purchased the 150,000th connected truck from Scania. “Through connectivity we can remotely monitor and learn about the fuel consumption of our trucks and how they are being driven,” explains Managing Partner Pablo Galeano. Altogether, Aconcagua manages more than 300 vehicles. Since 2010, the company has shown a preference for Scania in line with its ambition of offering ”a leap in quality for clients”, says Alejandro Galeano, Pablo’s brother and co-managing partner. The Galeano brothers today own 85 Griffin trucks, all with active connected services. After the first reports obtained from the Fleet Management System, Aconcagua decided to limit the speed of the Scania trucks to 84 km/h, resulting in lower downtime, longer tire lifespan and reduced fuel consumption – the latter representing more than 30 percent of operating costs. Long-distance operation Aconcagua is headquartered in Avellaneda, a suburb of Buenos Aires. Its clients include mining and oil companies located thousands of kilometres away, even as far as neighbouring Chile. Because of the distances involved and the specificity of the work, with some customers simply transporting goods from one plant to another, many vehicles never even see headquarters. “But thanks to Scania Fleet Management we are always able to put together a report in which we can see what the truck really did and how much fuel it consumed,” Pablo says. Preventive maintenance The vehicles are covered by a repair and maintenance contract and serviced by Scania’s workshop network. “It is the best way to run our business,” Pablo says. “Scania guarantees the repair and availability of our trucks.” Alejandro adds: “And the best thing about Scania is that, by monitoring the fleet, they tell you where the truck is, when it is time for a service, and where the nearest workshop is.” With help from a Scania service technician, Aconcagua audits its fleet every week. Using remote diagnostics, they can plan workshop visits and schedule preventive maintenance or repairs to avoid the risk of unplanned downtime. “Another advantage is that connectivity, along with Driver Support, shows drivers’ weak spots, such as using inertia or excessive braking. In some cases, training’s not even necessary, since we can just call them and tell them what they need to improve,” Pablo says. “We are happy to take delivery of the 150,000th connected Scania truck. Connectivity is vital for us in figuring out what is really going on with our trucks.” Photo gallery - http://newsroom.scania.com/en-group/2015/12/01/the-150000th-connected-scania-keeping-in-touch-in-a-vast-country/

Renault Trucks Press Release / December 1, 2015 An E-learning is now available on Optifuel Infomax. Optifuel Infomax is a fuel consumption monitoring and analysis tool and with Optifleet Check, it is part of the Optifuel Solutions. It is a perfect companion for rational driving trainers. It not only allows them to follow and analyze the basic data on fuel consumption, but also gives indications on how the vehicle is handled by the drivers.

By Jack Lyndall, associate editor / Fleet Owner / November 1964 (continued) New developments Turbine development work in many companies is growing apace. Some is in automotive engines — much in the industrial field and in the military. The Williams Research Corp. — headed by Sam Williams, a former project engineer on the Chrysler turbine development program under George Huebner — continues work on turbines. Williams, who is credited with a key role in development of the rotary regenerators, is using them in some of his designs. He states that his are compact and made from finely serrated stainless steel coils. The serrated design is, of course, proprietary, and is considered the key to highly efficient heat recovery. Williams Research has completed one and is now working on its second gas turbine installation in a military Jeep. The first one has a 70-hp. free shaft turbine weighing only 70 lb. driving a standard Jeep transmission. The second vehicle will be equipped with an automatic transmission. Both of the Jeep engines are non-regenerative. The higher fuel consumption is balanced by a multi-fuel capability (leaded gas clogs regenerators) and extreme simplicity and durability. The Waukesha Motor Co. is now in limited production of a 500 shaft hp. free-shaft turbine designed for Waukesha by Williams Research. It is a non-regenerative type; the regenerating feature was omitted to gain extreme durability in the extra-heavy duty vehicles, on- and off-road, that the engine is aimed for. At least one engine has been sold and others are available at a negotiated price for selected applications, Fleet Owner was told by R. A. D'Amour of Waukesha. The Boeing Co., famed aircraft builder, has worked in turbine development and production for some years. Its engines are used in the only known commercial vehicles in regular service with turbine power. Boeing Model 502, 330-hp. turbines are in American LaFrance fire apparatuses in Seattle, San Francisco and Mt. Vernon, VA. Boeing is superseding the 502 engine with a new model 551, to be rated at 400 hp. Some 551s are expected to be ready for commercial and possible special-purpose vehicle applications in late 1965. The Solar Division of International Harvester builds large industrial turbines, with the division's primary interest in that field at present. A Solar spokesman told Fleet Owner, however, that programs are underway to advance turbine design to match or better reciprocating engines in all areas, including vehicles. The Caterpillar Tractor Co. has recently undertaken a large addition to its Industrial Engine plant, where its truck diesels are built, for expansion of its gas turbine development work. Fleet Owner has learned that Caterpillar's turbine work is concentrated in the industrial power field at present, but automotive turbines are being studied. The Avco Corp. and Garrett Corp. are among other firms known to be interested in and working in phases of turbine development. Neither company has as yet announced an automotive gas turbine. Future development trends All turbine researchers are working diligently to reduce the turbine's fuel appetite. A Boeing spokesman told Fleet Owner, "Practical applications in trucks will occur when industrial small gas turbine-specific fuel consumption reaches the level of .5 lb./bhp./hr. Other considerations that might be thought of as major drawbacks such as high initial engine cost or lack of proven data on turbine operation in engines will be readily surrendered under the impetus of interest in turbine engines which have performance competitive with diesel engines." He says the next decrease in fuel consumption will come from two directions: higher temperature operation with use of new materials and use of heat exchangers in what are commonly called regenerated engines. These could lead to fuel consumption in the order of .35 lb./bhp./hr. Chrysler engineers, among others, recognize the potential in higher-temperature operation. A 400-degree F nozzle inlet temperature increase would give a 40% increase in specific output for a given size engine or a reduction in size for a stated horsepower engine. Metals engineers, who have already accomplished the job of developing noncritical, relatively inexpensive materials to replace the exotic, costly metals previously thought essential, are working to produce still better materials. These may not necessarily be metal. The Rover Co., Ltd., an English car and turbine maker, is seeking cooperation from Corning Glass in developing heat-resistant ceramic engine parts. Hopefully, these would be less costly than the special stainless steels now used in gas turbine wheels, blades, burners and heat exchangers. These men are determined that the day is not far off when the gas turbine engine will revolutionize the automotive power field as it did in aircraft power. .

By Jack Lyndall, associate editor / Fleet Owner / November 1964 (continued) Gas turbine engine principle The gas turbine engine is an internal combustion engine, but unlike the piston engine with its intermittent combustion, it has continuous combustion. In a simple turbine engine, air is drawn in by a fan-type compressor, compressed, and ducted to a combustion chamber. Fuel, sprayed into the chamber and combustion at high temperatures (1,500 to 1,800 degrees F), creates high-pressure and high-temperature gas. From the combustor, the high-pressure gas passes through a nozzle which directs the gas stream against the blades of a turbine wheel driving the compressor fan. The heated gas escapes to the atmosphere, creating a thrust energy; this is the force that propels the modern jet airplane. To make such an engine practical for vehicle propulsion at all speeds, an output shaft is necessary. By adding a power turbine with its vanes also set in the high-pressure gas stream from the combustor, a "free" turbine and output shaft can drive a vehicle. Slowing or stopping the power turbine shaft does not affect operation of the compressor or gas generator turbine shaft and rotors. Though this "free" turbine engine will drive a vehicle, it loses a great deal of heat energy to the atmosphere with the escaping exhaust gas after it has passed through the compressor and turbine rotors. So turbine engineers have widely adopted the principle of extracting the maximum amount of heat possible from the exhaust gas and using it to heat the incoming air. This reduces the fuel needed to produce the high-temperature, high-pressure gas. This principle is known as regeneration. The heat from the exhaust gas is removed by different types of heat exchangers. A filter and silencer are sometimes used at the air intake to clean the air and reduce the noise of the high-velocity air flow entering the engine. .