kscarbel2

I assume, at 130 tonnes, he's running Scania's RBP832+RP832 bogie, but possibly the RBP730+RP730. No way the standard RB660+R660.

Obama: The deal "is not built on trust, it is built on verification". Not exactly. That's only if Iran "agrees" to verification. U.N. inspectors can make a "request" to visit Iranian military sites as part of their monitoring duties. However, access isn't guaranteed and could be delayed (so the Iranians can have time to cover up any illicit activity). And, Iran has the right to challenge the U.N request.......via an arbitration board composed of Iran and the six world powers. So in other words, Iran and the global powers will then argue about access to Iran's military facilities for months, alike the situation already in existence for years. What's changed?....................Nothing. Oh, no, no, I'm wrong............something has changed. We're now going to give Iran free money We're going to give them billions of dollars, in relief from the [self-inflicted] results of the international sanctions. That's right, we're giving them billions to help them get back on their feet again, a display of remorse on our part for pushing the sanctions upon them. Today, we read the "six world powers" will foot the bill (ie. United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia ). But as we all know, it's always the US that pays most of the tab. My fellow U.S. taxpayers, your country will soon be sending your tax money to Iran. You won't mind our government putting off repairs on our crumbling interstate highway system so that we can rebuild Iran just as we successfully spent your tax dollars rebuilding Iraq into the peaceful and prosperous country it is today, right??? With our serious issues at home, I have no desire for my tax money to be handed over to Iran, a very wealthy Israel, or other. In light of all, I'd rather bailout a corrupt and ill-managed Detroit, than agree to give my tax money to the state department for global lip service (Money can't restore American's now-at-rock-bottom reputation around the world, only real leadership can). I want my money spent at home to rebuild a decaying United States of America. What does the Iran "deal" really mean? 1. It gives Obama a legacy, even though this is no more a good "deal" for America than Obamacare is affordable health care. 2. The "deal", in theory, allows the U.S. to give up on the Iran issue without admitting to the masses that they gave up. 3. Iran held out and got their way, and now we're going to give them billions of dollars. Now Obama has to submit the "deal" to congress for approval. Any prudent individual would reject it...........we'll see what congress does.

Navistar Trail Magazine

Actually, the architecture of those cartridge-type filters is light years ahead of a spin-on, and maintenance is extremely easy.

Pentagon may rethink F-35 procurement strategy Autoblog Military / July 13, 2015 The United States military may be preparing to scale down its purchase plan for the controversial F-35 Lightning II due to built-in spending caps. At present, the US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps will take add 2,457 of the stealthy, single-seat fighters to its fleet, at a cost of $391 billion, according to Defense One. "Given the evolving defense strategy and the latest Defense Planning Guidance, we are presently taking the newest strategic foundation and analyzing whether 2,443 aircraft is the correct number," Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford, the Obama administration's nominee for the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote as part of the remarks for his Senate confirmation hearing. "Until the analysis is complete, we need to pursue the current scheduled quantity buy to preclude creating an overall near-term tactical fighter shortfall." But just because Gen. Dunford is talking about trimming the final figure doesn't mean he's opposed to the controversial fighter. "With projected adversarial threats challenging our current capabilities in coming years, the Joint Strike Fighter is a vital component of our effort to ensure the Joint Force maintains dominance in the air," the general wrote. "If confirmed, I will advise the Secretary as he assesses the delicate balance of the capacity and the capabilities of the future Joint Force." At present, the acquisition period for the F-35 is expected to span three decades, while Defense One reports that program's schedule would likely stick for the next 15 to 20 years.

Owner/Driver / July 2, 2015 The Casino Truck Show, to be held on August 8, will have a new venue this year – the main streets of town. The annual Casino Truck Show is making a big move — into the northern New South Wales town’s CBD (central business district). Show president Stuart George has confirmed there will be a venue change for the August 8 event with the Casino Truck Show taking place around Barker and Walker Streets in the centre of town. The streets will be closed to traffic, giving the local community and visitors the opportunity to get up close and personal with the trucks. This format has proved a winner for the annual Alexandra Truck, Ute & Rod Show in Victoria. However, the convoy will remain a major component of the Casino Truck Show, with the trucks rolling into town at 10am. The live entertainment and kids’ rides will kick off at 9am, along with market and food stalls opening for business in Barker Street. Last year the Casino Truck Show attracted more than 110 trucks, and this year is expected to be even bigger and better. Further information can be found at www.casinotruckshow.com.au

Owner/Driver / July 14, 2015 When he needed a prime mover for triple road train work, Alan Moyle chose Australia’s most powerful truck. Like many Australian owner-operators, Alan Moyle has spent most of his working life behind the wheel of a North American truck. In Alan’s case, 20 years in Kenworths are included in his 35 years’ driving experience. Currently, however, Alan’s steed is a Scania R730 V-8, which he uses to haul grain from Western Australia’s wheat belt region to the port city of Albany where it is shipped out to global markets. His previous truck was also a European make, a MAN. But while the German-manufactured unit proved to be able on both the bitumen and in the paddock, Alan needed something with more grunt. "We were carting woodchips at the time, and I was pulling two trailers with the MAN, but the woodchip finished and I started hauling grain again," Alan explains. "I really needed to pull three trailers, not two. So that’s why I needed to buy a Scania, something with a bit more horsepower." More to the point, Alan needed a prime mover that was capable of pulling a 130-tonne GCM 60-wheeler road train. With its Southern Regional Transport (SRT) logo on the special purpose Evertrans end-tipper trailers, the Advanced Herd Bars stainless steel front bumper, Alan’s rig looks the goods. And that’s not the only reason it stands out. Alan says SRT is a Kenworth stronghold, although there’s also couple of Western Stars and a 700hp (522kW) Volvo. The R730 is the only Scania in the yard. "We’ve got about 25 road trains going every day, carting grain plus frozen food out of Perth and stuff like that," Alan says. With recent rains pointing to a bumper grain season, Alan is preparing to rack up a lot of kilometres. "We’ve had two above average years in a row now, which is almost unprecedented. If they have another year it’s going to be huge," he says. "I can’t see us shifting all of last year’s grain this year. We had half a million tonne to move and we’re not even half way through that yet." At age 67, Alan is often asked when he’s going to retire. For now he’s happy to keep on driving. "While the job’s this easy I’ll keep doing it for a little while and eventually I’ll put a driver in the truck." .

Mercedes-Benz presents latest engine generation Prime Mover Magazine / July 13, 2015 Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the next generation of its 13-litre engine range in Europe, claiming it will lead to a three per cent advantage in fuel usage. Confidently announced as an “engineering masterpiece”, the latest iteration of the OM 471 engine is based on the same basic engine block as other 13-litre Daimler engines around the world, including the Detroit DD13. But even after having solid some 100,000 units of the engine, the company still invested another 60 million in refining it. According to Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler, the X-Pulse fuel injection system has been improved, a new EGR valve has been introduced, as has an asymmetric turbo system – reportedly leading to oil change intervals of around 150,000 km. Also improved has been the torque curve – especially for the lower powered versions of the new engine, which will see torque topped up by an extra 200 Nm when the truck is in top gear. This should reduce down changing, thus decreasing fuel use, by enabling the truck to hang on to top gear longer. Maximum power will reportedly be available from 1450 to 1800 rpm, with the maximum torque of 2600 Nm (1918 ft lb) in the top engine on hand between 900 to 1450 rpm. Even at idling speed, at 600 rpm, the engine is still said to produce1600 Nm of torque. As part of the fuel saving strategy, the new engine is being offered in a truck with a rear axle ratio of 2.533. In this set up, with the truck running at 65 km/h, the engine is below 900 rpm but can use 2200 Nm of torque to maintain performance. While the latest evolution of the OM 471 comes four years after its introduction in the current-generation Actros, Australia is not likely to experience it first hand any time soon, according to CRTNews expert Tim Giles. “The Euro 6 compliant engine sees each of the various technologies included in the modern engine enhanced for improved performance. But the initial launch of the new Actros in Australia will be fitted with the Euro 5 version of this engine, so we can expect to see this latest enhanced technology appearing later this decade.”

Navistar bails on MATS 2016 Fleet Owner / July 13, 2015 Navistar is the third OEM to withdraw from next year’s Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS). It follows Volvo Trucks and Daimler Trucks North America to pull out of the 2016 show. “We’ve made the decision to not attend the 2016 Mid-America Trucking Show,” said Lyndi McMillan, Navistar communications manager. “We look forward to returning to the Mid-America Trucking Show in 2017 to showcase our technology and products.” Both Daimler and Volvo believe MATS would benefit from a biennial calendar in the same way that IAA in Germany is held every second year. “We evaluate all our sales and marketing activities when we develop our business plan for the following year,” said Avery Vise, Volvo Trucks public relations manager. “As part of that effort, we have decided not to participate in the 2016 Mid-America Trucking Show and have informed show management of this decision.” “MATS is an important industry event, and because we believe the industry would benefit from a biennial schedule, we intend to participate in 2017,” he said. Volvo’s sister company, Mack, has yet to announce whether it will exhibit next year at MATS. John Walsh, Mack vice president of marketing, said: “In order to make sure our efforts best meet the needs of our customers and bring the most return on our investment, we evaluate each trade show opportunity every year, a process through which we are still working.” Paccar’s Peterbilt and Kenworth have not made any announcements regarding MATS 2016. Asked if Peterbilt Motors was still planning on exhibiting at MATS next year, a spokesperson said "the company is still evaluating its marketplace plans for 2016." Toby Young, president of Exhibit Management Associates, which owns and operates MATS, said: “Navistar has informed us that they will not be exhibiting in the 2016 Mid-America Trucking Show and that they would like to return for the 2017 MATS. Navistar has been a strong supporter of MATS, participating every year since the first MATS in 1972. Their presence at the 2016 show will be missed." "We will continue as planned with sales for the 2016 MATS beginning on July 15th and, given the recent news, additional exhibit space opportunities for returning and new exhibitors," Young said. "MATS has a contract with the City of Louisville and the Kentucky Exposition Center through 2020, so the show will continue on an annual basis as scheduled.” MATS is an annual heavy-duty trucking industry event held each year at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville. The show attracts more than 70,000 attendees and more than 1,000 exhibitors. The International Motor Show for commercial vehicles, or IAA, takes place every other year in September in Hannover, Germany.

Navistar Is Third OEM to Skip MATS in 2016 Transport Topics / July 13, 2015 Navistar Inc. said it will not attend the 2016 Mid-America Trucking Show, making it the third major truck manufacturer to pull out of the event. “We’ve made the decision to not attend the 2016 Mid-America Trucking Show,” Navistar spokeswoman Lyndi McMillan said. “We look forward to returning to the Mid-America Trucking Show in 2017 to showcase our technology and products.” Daimler Trucks North America and Volvo Trucks previously said they would not be exhibiting at MATS next year. “Navistar has been a strong supporter of MATS, participating every year since the first MATS in 1972. Their presence at the 2016 show will be missed,” said Toby Young, president of Exhibit Management Associates, which owns and operates the show held each year in Louisville, Kentucky. DTNA, Volvo Trucks and Navistar have expressed support for the annual show to move to a biennial schedule, and all three said they plan to return to MATS in 2017. Together, those original equipment manufacturers accounted for 63% of all Class 8 trucks sold in the United States in 2014. Despite the absence of those OEMs, Young said MATS organizers will continue as planned with sales beginning July 15 for the 2016 show. “MATS has a contract with the City of Louisville and the Kentucky Exposition Center through 2020, so the show will continue on an annual basis as scheduled,” he said. Young also said the recent news opens up additional space opportunities for returning and new exhibitors. Mack Trucks, a sister company to Volvo Trucks, has not announced a decision regarding MATS; nor have Kenworth Truck Co. and Peterbilt Motors Co., which are part of Paccar Inc.

Sub drivers* are generally very sharp individuals, and President Carter is no exception. This interview is extremely revealing across-the-board about what made the man, and his blunt position on the world today. There isn’t a single man in Washington today of the same caliber. You will not find any dirty laundry his closet. Now, when is the last time you thought that of a politician? Unlike President Carter, today’s politicians are corrupt, unqualified, incompetent or all three. President Carter sought to perform the job of President, not to become a politician. * President Carter graduated 60th out of 820 midshipmen in the class of 1946.He was admitted to the US Navy's fledgling nuclear submarine program in 1952, led by the legendary Captain Hyman G. Rickover (of the generation of men who could move mountains). Rickover's demands on his men and machines were legendary, and Carter later said that, next to his parents, Rickover was the greatest influence on his life.

Automotive News / July 13, 2015 BorgWarner Inc. agreed to buy Remy International Inc. for $951 million in cash, driving further consolidation of the auto-parts industry. BorgWarner will pay $29.50 a share, a 44 percent premium from Remy’s closing price on Friday, according to a statement today. The price indicates an enterprise value of about $1.2 billion, BorgWarner said. The maker of turbochargers and transmission parts said the deal is set to close in the fourth quarter and should add to earnings in the first year because of purchasing efficiencies and other savings. Demand for fuel-saving technology and global scale is pushing auto-parts makers to consolidate. In May, TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. was acquired by German auto supplier ZF Friedrichshafen AG for $12.4 billion. “Our main focus has been organic growth, and that remains a prime path for us,” James Verrier, CEO of BorgWarner, said on a conference call. “But we’ve also been consistent about the need for M&A to add key technology to sustain that growth.” The acquisition highlights the increasing importance of the electrification of the powertrain, which has not been a strength of BorgWarner’s, Verrier said. BorgWarner rose 2 percent to close the day at $54.78. Remy soared 42 percent to close at $29.24. This year through Friday, Remy had fallen 1.9 percent and BorgWarner had declined 2.4 percent. Turbochargers, alternators Turbochargers, a key product for BorgWarner, compress air to maximize the power an engine produces. Automakers, forced by governments in the U.S., Europe and Asia to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, are turning to smaller, lighter engines. They’re using turbos to give buyers the power and acceleration they still want. Buying Remy will add alternators, starters and hybrid motors, giving BorgWarner the ability to benefit as more powertrains blend electric power with traditional gasoline-fueled technology. Some investors had been concerned that the move to hybrid engines would eventually cause BorgWarner to lose sales to automakers, Joseph Spak, an analyst with RBC Capital Markets, wrote in a research note today. BorgWarner CFO Ron Hundzinski said he expects savings from the acquisition of at least $15 million annually within two years, in part by eliminating duplicate costs associated with a public company, and from lower purchasing expenses. He said he expects the Remy business to have profit margins in the mid-teens, similar to BorgWarner’s. Former GM unit Remy International, formerly known as Delco Remy, traces its roots to brothers Frank and Perry Remy, who developed magnetos, generators that used magnets to help start early automobiles. GM acquired Delco Remy in 1918 and spun it off in 1995. The name was changed to Remy International in 2004 and the Pendleton, Ind.-based company spent less than two months in bankruptcy in 2007. Remy posted net income from continuing operations of $6.1 million last year on revenue of $1.2 billion. In 2013, it posted net income of $12.4 million on revenue of $1.1 billion. UBS AG was financial adviser to Remy, while Sullivan & Cromwell LLP provided legal advice, according to the company’s statement. Bank of America Corp. acted as financial adviser to BorgWarner, and Sidley Austin LLP provided legal advice. BorgWarner ranks No. 29 on the Automotive News list of top 100 global suppliers with worldwide sales to automakers of $8.3 billion in 2014.

2016 Chevrolet Silverado Gets Early Facelift, More 8-Speed Availability Car & Driver / July 13, 2015 Barely two years after going on sale in its current iteration, the Chevrolet Silverado is getting a refresh. Yep, that’s early, especially considering the typical full-size truck life cycle is measured not in years but in eons. Chevy provided a single photo with the release, showing a Silverado in snazzy LTZ form, brandishing new horizontal grille vanes; a chunky new hood; squinty new lights; and a deep, aero-friendly bumper with outboard LED lamps and a large chrome chin. We expect some minor changes to the rear of the truck, as well, based on spy photos of the 2016 Silverado we posted earlier this year. Additional enhancements include more widespread availability of the eight-speed automatic transmission across the Silverado 1500 lineup, added safety technologies, and support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. More photos and details will be made available closer to the truck’s public debut this fall, and based on recent spy photos of the GMC Sierra, we expect to see a similar batch of enhancements bestowed upon the 2016 GMC Sierra, as well. Pointing out that Silverado sales are up 14.6 percent through June, Chevrolet says the update is part of “an aggressive strategy to build on Chevy trucks’ momentum”—but we can’t help but think it is also part of an aggressive strategy to thwart Ford trucks’ momentum, which has accelerated now that the aluminum-bodied Ford F-150 has been in dealerships for a while. Certainly, the Silverado’s handsome new face can’t by itself trump the benefits that aluminum gives to the Ford, but it certainly won’t hurt Chevy’s cause.

Automotive News / July 13, 2015 Chevrolet is scrapping the long-running dual stacked headlights on the freshened 2016 Silverado and giving the hot-selling pickup a mean-machine look. The stacked headlights -- a fixture on Chevy’s big truck since the 1980s -- have been replaced with smaller, more stylized units that recall high-tech electronics. The 2016 model also adds a more muscular hood and a new front fascia. The styling changes were planned to keep the truck, overhauled for the 2014 model year, fresh against Ford’s revamped F-150 and Fiat Chrysler’s Ram 1500, Chevrolet spokesman Tom Wilkinson said. Also, Nissan Motor Co. is just months away from rolling out a new version of the Titan pickup. It's one of the most radical mid-cycle changes to the face of the Silverado. Some dealers, truck enthusiasts and journalists questioned whether the Silverado's 2014 redesign went far enough. Some critics griped that it looked too much like the truck it replaced. U.S. sales of the light- and heavy-duty Silverado have spiked 15 percent this year in a full-size truck market that has expanded 4.7 percent. Deliveries of the F series, including super duties and the redesigned 2015 F-150, have dropped 2.4 percent and Ram volume has climbed 4.3 percent. Upper trim levels of the 2016 Silverado, such as the Z71, will feature two rows of LED lights separated by an accent bar that stretches the width of the grille. The lower fascia has also been redesigned and features smaller vertical fog lights. Mechanical and trim changes are few. Chevrolet is expanding the availability of an eight-speed automatic transmission for models with a 5.3-liter V-8 engine. The eight-speed gearbox had been available only on models with a 6.2-liter V-8. Inside, the Chevy MyLink system has been reworked to support Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It’s not clear if the Silverado’s platform mate, the GMC Sierra, will receive similar updates for 2016. GMC spokesman Brian Goebel said GMC is not yet releasing any information about the 2016 model. .

Australasian Transport News / July 13, 2015 Heavy Haulage Australia (HHA) is to be broken up as a buyer for the firm as a whole has failed to step forward. Despite some early inquiry, the trucking company’s voluntary administrator, Ferrier Hodgson partner Brendan Richards, put the eventual lack of interest in HHA as a going concern down to economic and market factors. "While we received a promising level of initial interest from investors, the continuing fall in iron ore prices and the subsequent pressure on the Australian mining industry has seen that interest dissipate," Richards says. As a consequence, HHA will be formally wound up with the loss of more than 70 jobs across its operations in Brisbane, Toowoomba, Perth and Port Hedland. HHA had a high profile as a heavy haul logistics specialist servicing the mining and infrastructure sectors, as well as being a prominent sponsor of V8 Supercars. It was also the subject of the ‘Megatrucker’ series featured on Foxtel’s A&E channel. The assets comprising more than 50 prime movers, 120 heavy haulage trailers, 15 cranes and 40 pilot and light commercial vehicles will be offered up for private sale. "This is another sad day for the Australian transport industry but also further evidence that the decline in the mining industry is still very much continuing," Richards says. "The outlook for many of the companies with exposure to that decline is troubling to say the least, and further fallout is likely in the near future." Sources close to the issue say the main creditors are Westpac and GE Capital, with half-owner McAleese in the mix as well. The failure comes against a backdrop of harder times nationally. In more proof of that, the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) reveals that business-related personal insolvencies, as opposed to corporate insolvencies, rose to 16.3 per cent in the June quarter, up from 15.5 per cent in the March quarter. ‘Economic conditions’ was the most common business-related cause, accounting for 398 debtors from a total of 968.

Heavy Duty Trucking / July 10, 2015 Navistar is following in the footsteps of Daimler Trucks North America and Volvo Trucks in deciding to skip exhibiting at the 2016 Mid-America Trucking Show, with plans to return in 2017. The annual show, founded in 1972 and held in March at the Kentucky Fair and Expo Center in Louisville, Ky., is the largest in the U.S. The 2015 show set an all-time record for attendance with 81,768 attendees. There were more than 1,000 exhibitors filling 1.2 million square feet of exhibit space. "We’ve made the decision to not attend the 2016 Mid-America Trucking Show," Navistar spokesman Steve Schrier told Truckinginfo.com in response to an email query. "We look forward to returning to the Mid-America Trucking Show in 2017 to showcase our technology and products." Toby Young with Exhibit Management Associates, which puts on the show, told Truckinginfo, "Navistar has been a strong supporter of MATS, participating every year since the first MATS in 1972. Their presence at the 2016 show will be missed. "We will continue as planned with sales for the 2016 MATS beginning on July 15 and, given the recent news, additional exhibit space opportunities for returning and new exhibitors." In May, Daimler Trucks North America said it will not exhibit at the Mid-America Trucking Show in 2016, saying it is moving to an every-other-year format similar to the IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Germany. DTNA intends to return to MATS in 2017 and attend the show bi-annually thereafter. At that time, Navistar Truck and Parts President Bill Kozek commented in response, "Although we have not yet committed to attending MATS in 2016, we do believe that moving to a bi-annual schedule would be beneficial to exhibitors and customers alike." Just days ago, Volvo Trucks followed Daimler's lead, also saying that it believed "a show like MATS would benefit from a biennial calendar." One major trailer maker, Wabash National, hasn't exhibited at MATS for the past few years, according to Dana Stelsel, corporate communications manager. “TMC [the Technology & Maintenance Council’s annual meeting and expo] is our ‘big’ show of the year on the van and composites side.” Related reading: http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/40797-volvo-becomes-second-oem-to-pull-out-of-mats-next-year/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/40008-daimler-trucks-pulls-out-of-mid-america-trucking-show-in-2016/?hl=mats

That New Zealand Sanitarium Marmite is pretty good, a little sweet. But Vegemite is my stand-by, I never travel without a jar now.

Tim might want you all to assume he moved to the other side of the world for the big money driving trucks in New Zealand. Or maybe he’d like you to think that New Zealand’s stunning views attracted him. And certainly, the world's best dairy cows make New Zealand a milk drinker's paradise. But Tim’s not fooling me one bit. It was the ability to have ready access to Vegemite on toast every morning, a vegemite sandwich for lunch whenever he wishes, and perhaps a lush salad with Vegemite salad dressing that caused him to relocate to New Zealand. And fearing a mass influx of Yanks to New Zealand that would see the jars of Vegemite fly off the shelves resulting in a national shortage, Tim has been keeping everyone in the dark. Now, you know.

For those unfamiliar with what he's speaking of............. At the same time that Mack Trucks was achieving major sales success in Europe, the Middle East and Iran, the opening up of the Soviet Union presented a major opportunity for the company. Mack was proceeding step-by-step with the U.S. Commerce Department. That's the only way a true American like Mack Trucks President Zenon C.R. Hansen would handle it. Ironically, while politics prevented Mack Trucks from cooperating with Russia on the HUGE KamAZ truck plant project, MANY other U.S. companies were in the end allowed to participate, bringing them vast profits while giving the Russians their first state-of-the-art commercial truck production facility (see Summary below). Mack Trucks Signs Pact with Russia Business Week Magazine / June 18, 1971 The Soviet Union and Mack Trucks, Inc. have signed a $700 million preliminary agreement for the U.S. company to supply machinery and technology for a huge Russian truck manufacturing plant. The agreement is subject to approval by the U.S. government. It was signed by Zenon C.R. Hansen, chairman and president of Mack Trucks, and N.D. Komarov, Russian deputy foreign trade minister, May 18 at the company’s Allentown, PA headquarters. Hansen, commenting in a telephone interview, said he would describe the result of the talks with the Russians as a “letter of intent” rather than as a preliminary agreement. Hansen said that “with the changing attitudes on east-west trade,” he was enthusiastic about the prospects of government approval. The proposed deal could have a skyrocketing effect on U.S.-Russian trade. Total U.S. exports to Russia amounted to only $118 million in 1970. The Russians were reported to be clearing land for the $1.3 billion project near Naberezhnle Chelney, 600 miles east of Moscow in the Tartar Republic.The project was said to include housing for an eventual 300,000 people. The plant may require an estimated $1 billion worth of machinery and technology before it is completed. Export of Mack Trucks To Russia May Be Near SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS / August 10, 1971 (WASHINGTON) The Nixon administration approved licenses Monday for export of million worth of foundry equipment to the Soviet Union, apparently clearing the way for a massive trade deal involving Mack Trucks Inc. Although the two licenses approved went to a company other than Mack, a Commerce Department spokesman said the action was “related to the project on the Kama river” where the Allentown, Pa. firm proposes to build what is billed as the world's largest truck plant. Commerce officials said privately the action would be a first step in approval of the Mack Truck deal but said It should not be construed as meaning a final decision has been made. The department approved three licenses altogether, including one for export of technical data for iron and steel foundries. Equipment for automotive castings was among items listed. The firm went unidentified, in line with department policy. Roger Mullin, executive vice president of Mack Trucks, said the export licenses approved were “definitely not for us. Our application is for machine tools.” But he said foundry equipment would be necessary before a truck plant could be built. Mack Trucks signed an agreement with the Soviet government this spring to build the Kama River project. The Mack Trucks spokesman said the cost is just a guess, but he said estimates have run between $1 billion and $2 billion. Mack Trucks, as a result of the agreement, is seeking authority to export an estimated $700 million worth of machinery and technology to the Soviet Union. The company spokesman, asked whether the government’s action indicated the administration will act favorably on the entire deal, said he would not speculate on what would happen next. He said “your question would lead logically” to the conclusion the administration is looking on the application favorably. Mullin said in reference to the foundry equipment: “It is an essential part. We would have to have a foundry.” The government refuses to name the companies for which it approves export licenses. A spokesman said it only referred to the Kama River project because it had been previously announced by the parties involved. Officials said a step-by-step approval process may be used in granting licenses for the project. The Commerce Department’s Office of Export Control passes on specific export licenses for export of equipment forbidden under government regulations. Such high-technology items as foundry equipment are prohibited from being exported, unless a specific license is granted by the government. About a year ago, Henry Ford II went to Moscow in an attempt, later abandoned, to complete a similar agreement. At that time, Secretary of Defense Melvin R. Laird commented: “Before giving away the technology to construct trucks in the Soviet Union, and establishing plants for them, there should be some indication on the part of the Soviet Union that they are not going to continue sending trucks to North Vietnam by the shiploads for use on the Ho Chi Minh Trail.” There was no Defense Department comment on Monday’s action by the Commerce Department. Mack cancels Soviet Plant The Miami News / Sept 16, 1971 Mack Trucks, Inc. has cancelled plans to build the world’s largest truck plant in the Soviet Union. Mack said it has not received U.S. approval. Mack signed a preliminary agreement with Soviet officials last May 18, providing that the Allentown, Pa. firm would design and supply a major part of the Soviet Union’s $1.4 billion Kama River truck plant. The deal, Mack said, hinged on whether the White House was willing to ease its policy on exports to communist countries sufficiently to grant the necessary approval. The deadline for government approval under the tentative agreement was initially June 25, but the date had been extended to September 15. In a terse message to Soviet officials yesterday, Mack said, “Since approval from the U.S. government has not been received and the second extension....expired with the close of business today, we feel that to our mutual interest.....to consider said protocol terminated.” There has been no official statement from administration sources on the proposed deal. Defense Secretary Melvin Laird, however, has in the past decried the fact that the Russians are supplying trucks to North Vietnam. Mack countered the charge with the argument that a final agreement would have stipulated that the trucks be used only for industrial and agricultural purposes within the Soviet Union. The Kama River plant, about 600 miles east of Moscow, was scheduled to begin production in 1975, with a planned capacity of 150,000 heavy diesel trucks and 100,000 diesel engines annually. Mack Truck President Zenon C.R. Hansen was unavailable for comment on cancellation of the project. Summary The Kama River (Kamaz) truck plant was built. The project was financed by Chase Manhattan Bank and U.S. government loans. The modern plant, automated by IBM model 370 computers, was built to produce 150,000 trucks and 250,000 diesel engines annually. Awarded Contracts: Principal engineering contractor - Swindell-Dressler Co. (Pittsburgh, PA) - $50 million C.E. Cast Equipment (Cleveland, OH) - $35 million Holcroft & Co. (Livonia, MI) - $20 million Ingersoll-Rand (Rockford, IL) - $20 million National Engineering Co. (Chicago, IL) - $15 million

. President Carter is the only living U.S. President who genuinely cares, and will call a spade a spade. Video - http://www.reuters.com/video/2015/07/07/newsmaker-president-carter-on-middle-eas?videoId=364861537

A brief history of the development of the diesel engine at the General Motors Research Labs. https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/docs/gm-heritage-archive/historical-brochures/Innovation_and_Technology/The_GM_Diesel_Story.pdf

Connecticut mother drugs her two children to death, charged with murder Reuters / July 9, 2015 An overdose of over-the-counter cold medicine caused the death of two children whose bodies were found in their gas-filled home in Connecticut, and their mother, who had said she stabbed them, remained charged with murder, police said on Thursday. Autopsies concluded this week by the state's chief medical examiner on Aleisha Moore, 6, and Daaron Moore, 7, determined they died from acute intoxication of an antihistamine used to treat cold or allergy symptoms. The children were found dead and their mother, LeRoya Moore, injured when police and firefighters were called to their East Haven home on June 2 for a medical emergency. Police said there was also a gas leak in the home at the time, and that the mother had told a friend she was going to commit suicide. Moore, 36, who told authorities she stabbed the children, was charged last month with two counts of murder and three counts of first-degree reckless endangerment in connection with their deaths. "Blunt force trauma and puncture wounds were positively ruled out as a cause of death,” according to the medical examiner. Police discovered 46 bottles and boxes of over-the-counter and prescription medications, according to an arrest warrant. Police said they found a note Moore placed near the younger children saying she did not want to leave them in the care of an institution. Moore's parental rights were terminated years ago by the state for abuse of two older children. No further details were available. By the time the bodies were found, the children had been dead "for an extended period of time," police said. Authorities said they determined gas in the home had been intentionally turned on.

Some are familiar with these events. However many aren’t. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Business Insider / July 9, 2015 San Francisco's fog is famous, especially in the summer, when weather conditions combine to create the characteristic cooling blanket that sits over the Bay Area. But one fact many may not know about San Francisco's fog is that in 1950, the US military conducted a test to see whether it could be used to help spread a biological weapon in a "simulated germ-warfare attack." This was just the start of many such tests around the country that would go on in secret for years. The test was a success, as Rebecca Kreston explains over at Discover Magazine, and "one of the largest human experiments in history." But, as she writes, it was also "one of the largest offenses of the Nuremberg Code since its inception." The code stipulates that "voluntary, informed consent" is required for research participants, and that experiments that might lead to death or disabling injury are unacceptable. The unsuspecting residents of San Francisco certainly could not consent to the military's germ-warfare test, and there's good evidence that it could have caused the death of at least one resident of the city, Edward Nevin, and hospitalized 10 others. This is a crazy story; one that seems like it must be a conspiracy theory. An internet search will reveal plenty of misinformation and unbelievable conjecture about these experiments. But the core of this incredible tale is documented and true. It all began in late September 1950, when over a few days, a Navy vessel used giant hoses to spray a fog of two kinds of bacteria, Serratia marcescens and Bacillus globigii — both believed at the time to be harmless — out into the fog, where they disappeared and spread over the city. "It was noted that a successful BW [biological warfare] attack on this area can be launched from the sea, and that effective dosages can be produced over relatively large areas," concluded a later-declassified military report, cited by the Wall Street Journal. Successful indeed, according to Leonard Cole, the director of the Terror Medicine and Security Program at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. His book, "Clouds of Secrecy," documents the military's secret bioweapon tests over populated areas. Cole wrote: Nearly all of San Francisco received 500 particle minutes per liter. In other words, nearly every one of the 800,000 people in San Francisco exposed to the cloud at normal breathing rate (10 liters per minute) inhaled 5,000 or more particles per minute during the several hours that they remained airborne. This was among the first but far from the last of these sorts of tests. Over the next 20 years, the military would conduct 239 "germ-warfare" tests over populated areas, according to news reports from the 1970s (after the secret tests had been revealed) in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Associated Press, and other publications (via Lexis-Nexis), and also detailed in congressional testimony from the 1970s. These tests included the large-scale releases of bacteria in the New York City subway system, on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and in National Airport just outside Washington, DC. In a 1994 congressional testimony, Cole said that none of this had been revealed to the public until a 1976 newspaper story revealed the story of a few of the first experiments — though at least a Senate subcommittee had heard testimony about experiments in New York City in 1975, according to a 1995 Newsday report. A mysterious death When Edward Nevin III, the grandson of the Edward Nevin who died in 1950, read about one of those early tests in San Francisco, he connected the story to his grandfather's death from a mysterious bacterial infection. He began to try to convince the government to reveal more data about these experiments. In 1977, they released a report detailing more of that activity. In 1950, the first Edward Nevin had been recovering from a prostate surgery when he suddenly fell ill with a severe urinary-tract infection containing Serratia marcescens, the theoretically harmless bacterium that's known for turning bread red in color. The bacteria had reportedly never been found in the hospital before and was rare in the Bay Area (and in California in general). The bacteria spread to Nevin's heart and he died a few weeks later. Another 10 patients showed up in the hospital over the next few months, all with pneumonia symptoms and the odd presence of Serratia marcescens. They all recovered. Nevin's grandson tried to sue the government for wrongful death, but the court held that the government was immune to a lawsuit for negligence and that they were justified in conducting tests without subjects' knowledge. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Army stated that infections must have occurred inside the hospital and the US Attorney argued that they had to conduct tests in a populated area to see how a biological agent would affect that area. In 2005, the FDA stated that "Serratia marcescens bacteria ... can cause serious, life-threatening illness in patients with compromised immune systems." The bacteria has shown up in a few other Bay Area health crises since the 1950s, according to The San Francisco Chronicle, leading to some speculation that the original spraying could have established a new microbial population in the area. While Nevin lost his lawsuit, he said afterward, as quoted by Cole, "At least we are all aware of what can happen, even in this country ... I just hope the story won’t be forgotten."