Desert Tomb May Be King Herod's
By STEVE WEIZMAN
JERUSALEM (May 8) - An Israeli archaeologist on Tuesday said he has found remnants of the tomb of King Herod, the legendary builder of ancient Jerusalem, on a flattened hilltop in the Judean Desert where the biblical monarch built a palace.
Hebrew University archaeologist Ehud Netzer said the tomb was found at Herodium, a site where he has been exploring since the 1970s. Netzer said a team of researchers found pieces of a limestone sarcophagus believed to belong to the ancient king. Although there were no bones in the container, he said the sarcophagus' location and ornate appearance indicated it is Herod's. "It's a sarcophagus we don't just see anywhere," Netzer said at a news conference. "It is something very special." Netzer led the team, although he said he was not on the site when the sarcophagus was found. Stephen Pfann, an expert in the Second Temple period at the University of the Holy Land, called the find a "major discovery by all means," but cautioned further research is needed.
He said all signs indicate the tomb belongs to Herod, but said ruins with an inscription on it were needed for full verification. "We're moving in the right direction. It will be clinched once we have an inscription that bears his name," said Pfann, a textual scholar who did not participate in Netzer's dig. The fragments of carved limestone found at the sandy site are decorated with floral motives, but do not include any inscriptions. Herod became the ruler of the Holy Land under the Romans around 40 B.C. The wall he built around the Old City of Jerusalem during the time of the Jewish Second Temple is the one that can be seen today. He also undertook massive construction projects in Caesaria, Jericho, the hilltop fortress of Massada and other locations.
It has long been assumed that Herod was buried at Herodium, but decades of excavations failed to turn up the site until now. The first century historian Josephus Flavius described the tomb and Herod's funeral procession. Herodium was one of the last strong points held by Jewish rebels fighting against the Romans, and it was conquered and destroyed by Roman forces in A.D. 71, a year after they destroyed the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Hebrew University had hoped to keep the find a secret until Netzer's news conference on Tuesday. But the university announced the find in a brief statement late Monday after the Haaretz daily found out about the discovery and published an article on its Web site.
THE FOLLOWING IS EXCERPTED FROM ASKMEN.COM, and probably constitutes more information than I myself could give on the subject, and I know people get concerned about such things, so READ ON!!
Cars aren't perfect -- any guy who has spent a grueling winter dealing with various breakdowns can attest to that. Though there are usually seasonal problems to attend to, owning a car becomes a real pain when a manufacturer's defect affects performance or safety. Poor engineering or a simple oversight on the production line can make a car a real danger.To compound the problem, owners are often unaware of how to deal with the malfunction, thinking that the work is in the hands of a local mechanic. With 1,450 recalls and alerts released in the U.S. in 2002, cases of dangerous malfunctions have become far too common. Keeping that in mind, I have outlined the details of a car recall in an easy to comprehend, question and answer session. Now, you'll know how to deal with this sticky situation.
What exactly is a car recall? A variety of engineering errors can cause a defect in a car. Usually, the problem is concentrated on models that were produced during a certain time period at one specific plant. Therefore, not all Toyota Camry drivers, for example, would be forced to pull off the road when a defect for that model is announced to the public.Consumers who encounter such problems can report them to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) by calling their safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT. Complaints can also be waged online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/ (the NHTSA's website) or by filing a petition.When enough reports are compiled, the NHTSA will begin to investigate the issue, and determine the root of the problem. Then, the findings are made public. If a manufacturer does not force a recall, the government, through the NHTSA, will initiate one instead.
Check for Recalls
Does your car have a recall? Check the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to find out:
NHTSA Recall Database
What are the most common types of defects in these recalls? The NHTSA lists the following as typical safety-threatening defects:
- Seat belt or seat belt retractor issues
- Wiring or fluid issues that threaten to cause a fire
- Accelerators that break or freeze suddenly
- Improperly engineered or assembled brake or steering parts, causing a loss of control.
- Air bags that deploy late or for no reason.
- Any condition that may cause non-compliance with federal emissions standards, which in some cases MAY cause the "check engine" light to illuminate, although not every condition that causes the light to illuminate will necessarily be part of a recall.
How are owners informed if their car is at risk?Aside from obvious signs like fire or random malfunctions, you'll be alerted to the defect on your car via the mail. When the manufacturer or the government concedes that there is a defect, an Official Safety Recall Notice, which provides details about the problem as well as instructions on the best way to handle it, is sent to owners who are at risk. In most cases, drivers are advised to bring the car to their dealer.
How is the car fixed?Vehicles are usually sent for repair. The Official Safety Recall Notice outlines what repairs need to be done and lists the specific dealers who will do the work. Though not standard procedure, some victims of car recalls have been known to receive courtesy cars while their car was in the shop.
Does the owner of the car have to pay to have the car repaired?In most cases, repairs are done free of charge. Since the manufacturer (forced by the government or not) concedes that there was a defect in its vehicle, they take full financial responsibility.
How long will the recall process take?Manufacturers are given 60 days to attend to owners' needs after a defect is announced. This time is monitored not from the day the recall is announced, but from the date written in the Official Safety Recall Notice. This means that the first ones to notice the problem may not benefit by bringing their cars in early. Automakers are known to take their time with recalls, so it's wise to leave your car in the driveway and wait for the letter to arrive.
Of course, the length of the process also depends on the time of recall. If the problem is faulty belt buckles, you won't have to wait too long. On the other hand, major electronic, transmission or engine defects can take the full 60 days to repair.
What if it's a major defect -- are repairs the only option?Though repairs are the most common way to fix a defect, a manufacturer may replace or refund a vehicle if the problem is severe and would take too much time or cost too much to fix. Drivers may receive an identical or similar model with all the necessary repairs as well. When this isn't possible, carmakers may opt to refund the purchase price, minus a depreciation amount. Defective tires or electronics may also be refunded.
Are all cars eligible for a recall?Like any other government system, there are rules pertaining to car recalls. If you own a vehicle that is more than eight years old, it cannot be recalled. However, remember that the problem still exists and should be remedied -- you'll just have to pay for it yourself.Note that there's another limitation to the recall rule: If a manufacturer challenges the government's demand for a recall in court, drivers cannot attend to their car's needs until the case is finished. Since these procedures can take years, owners often have to pay for the repairs on their own. If this should happen to you, remember to keep all your receipts because, if the NHTSA wins the case, you may be entitled to a reimbursement.
If the car is in an accident because of the defect, will the owner be compensated?Unfortunately, the answer is "not necessarily." If you experienced the problem and had an accident before the recall was announced, manufacturers are not legally bound to reimburse you. Anything you did to repair the car before a recall was made public does not have to be covered. However, in an effort to maintain their good name, many manufacturers have been known to compensate customers who can prove their repairs remedied the recall-related malfunction.
What if the recall work cannot be done?In the odd case that repairs cannot be made on your car or that you are being forced to pay for such work, there are several people you can contact. The one who will be able to handle most of your problems is the dealer's service manager. Generally, if you supply him with the Official Safety Recall Notice and break down the situation, the problem will probably be solved. The work is likely to be resumed and you will be compensated. If this doesn't happen, you can try contacting the manfacturer directly and tell him the same story. Failing that, go to the NHTSA as a last resort. Playing the role of "consumer protector," they'll take any claim of yours seriously.
(As an aside to this, there are cases, most notably late 80's Nissan Maximas, where a condition is discovered where vehicle corrosion impairs vehicle safety; in the case of the Maxima, the outer rear seat belt anchors were attached to a strut in the trunk that rusted frequently in some climates, and caused the retractors to not be as secure as they should be; Nissan discovered this when most of the vehicles in question were 8-10 years old, and instituted a buy-back program on the vehicles. Also, speaking of this generation of Maxima, there was a program for a long time to replace fuel injectors on these vehicles, and 87-89 Nissan 300ZXs; what they discovered was happening was that people were purchasing non-running Zs and Maximas in junkyards, and having the recall done to fix them; Nissan therefore instituted the requirement that any vehicle subject to this recall MUST come into the dealership under it's own power, and dealers and the NHTSA may institute similar guidelines at their discretion to protect against similar kinds of fraud. So keep in mind; a recall is protection, not a blank check.
Some conditions affecting vehicle safety systems may STILL be subject to certain conditions which can't be planned for, or averted, and which, ultimately, some manufacturers have regarded as "road damage," and thus not warranty, subject to recall, or anything but customer-pay. Most notable among these were the under-seat mounted side-air-bag control modules in 1998 and similar vintage Lincoln Continentals; if a large enough rock struck the underside of the car, it would cause the sensors to deploy, and the side air bags to inflate, which, ultimately, would require replacement of the bag module and seat cover, all at the owner's expense. I don't know if the modules were ever redesigned or relocated in such a way as to avoid this, I only remember this being the case in certain instances.)
Be Informed As a car owner, the last thing you want to worry about is a dangerous defect. Unfortunately, these things do happen, but there are systems in place to protect the customer. Using the info provided in this little Q&A session, you should now be better positioned to protect yourself against any type of car recall.
Other Aside (Pete speaking, not like most of the above,) Akin to the standard recall is something known as the Technical Service Bulletin, or TSB, which most manufacturers issue for a variety of reasons. I think my all-time favorite TSB is still the one having to do with the first-generation Dodge Viper Coupe, wherein an oversight occurred, in that they neglected to engineer in a mode for servicing the fuel tank and pump, were it so required. The solution? Remove the seats and most of the interior, and take a die grinder, cutting a 3'x4' HOLE in the space behind the seats to essentially form a great, big BOOBY HATCH for access. Other TSBs have come out from various manufacturers to install new parts because the original ones leaked (but wouldn't cause a fire,) to sunroofs that would mysteriously open and close by themselves; the TSB solution there was a Priest, as I recall. (just kidding, it was actually just a faulty switch.)
Understand me here, that, the TSB DOES NOT qualify as a "secret recall," as some conspiracy theorists might lead you to believe, it does not continue ad-infinitum (or ad nauseam, speaking as a former technician,) the way real recalls do. Basically, if a TSB exists for a certain condition your vehicle might be prone to, if you're out of warranty, you're still SOL, no questions asked. Recalls or TSBs, just think of them all as your technician's answers.
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