Is it a curse to be "interesting?

There's an ancient Chinese curse: "May you live in interesting times." That is, the times most interesting to remember are often the ones
toughest to live through.

There's no question trucking is going through interesting times. Still, there's another saying: "The more things change, the more they remain the same." 

One change here is my photo next to this column. Singh Ahluwalia, after more than three decades of service to Bridgestone and who set the tone here for the past dozen years has gone into well-deserved retirement. We continue to draw inspiration from Singh and wish him well. That hasn't changed. 

And, we will continue in Singh's footsteps by giving you a quick
summary of this issue of Real Answers.

First, we talk with Chris Burruss, President of Truckload Carriers
Association, about what TCA membership can do for you. Then,
we're off to Omaha to learn how Sub Zero Transportation is applying
new ideas in its tire program.

We show off our latest on/off-highway drive, the L315, and detail
a new bead design we call a "Turn In Ply."

For fun, we visit the 2008 American Truck Historical Society
antique truck show, and revisit an article we published about America's long-gone "Burma Shave" signs. We also take a look at new Bridgestone technology that could make big screen TVs as light and thin as paper.

On the nuts and bolts side, we look at the effects of speed on
fuel economy, and later, explain the care and feeding of safety cages –
and most important, why they should never, ever, be bolted down.

We hope you'll find it interesting – but not a curse. It begins on the next page.