Monday 30 April 2012

Golden Age

This is just a quick one to share my happiness at the current crop of automotive super- and hyper-cars. 


Pagani are on the cusp of unleashing their Huayra, but some are unwilling to forget the Zonda. The 760 RS is the very latest in an even more limited series of run-out Zondas. This one came from a series of requests from Zonda R owners who wanted one for the road. 


Pagani cannot seem to put the Zonda to rest, with demand for more and more limited-run specials - it's not so bad seeing at the cars are delicious! 


Here is a video by my favourite road-tester-for-things-I-cannot-afford, EVO's Harry Metcalfe - a road test for real enthusiasts.


(Written while listening to Mainstream Media podcast by DJ Brian Greene)

The significance of J


Amazing. Astonishing. Epic. Gob-smacking. Magnificent. Shocking. Stunning. Wonderful. These are some of the words used by motoring journalists to describe the one-of-a-kind Lamborghini Aventador J. None such words were uttered in my head. When presented with something so pure and special, something that is the epitome of "hypercar", my mind whispered "wow" accompanied by a longing to see it in the carbon fibre. The only thing which eclipsed this was my desire to drive it, heightened by the imaginary journey conjured up in my head.I had seen rumours online, but didn't dare hope that something so wild would be actually built! But, if anyone would do such a thing, the boys and girls in Sant'Agata would.

So, what is the significance of the letter J? That single-letter appendage means rather a lot. From every angle the J oozes an aggression that is orders of magnitude above any other car. This is the new top dog in hypercar royalty.


The "normal" Aventador is not a subtle car, but alongside the J it looks positively Amish. Anyone would recognise they are related, but every aspect of the J is more aggressive, more intimidating, more beautiful. I love it!



Based on the Aventador chassis, it has the same mechanical bits, which means the J is the perfect compliment to the Lamborghinis wild new V12. No roof, no windscreen, lots of noise.


The letter J (or "Jota" when pronounced in Spanish) is a appendage borne by only a single other Lamborghini in history, the Miura P400 Jota - a reference to Appendix J of the FIA handbook with which it aimed to comply.


The J is like an object created purely to thrill and turn-on. From the rear-view mirror that rakishly rises from where the windscreen would start, to the divided cockpit (the aero reference more at home here than anywhere else I think) split by a continuity from front-to-rear, forged composite details (seats, and show number plate for the eagle-eyed among you), to the exposed carbon fibre lattice over the engine.


I could rattle on for some time, but to fully feel the longing I harbour, you need to indulge in the pictures. I am an avid fan of EVO magazine, so here is their picture gallery. I strongly urge that you make a tea/coffee, have a beer/glass of wine and soak in the details.


(Written while listening to Mainstream Media podcast by DJ Brian Greene)

Tuesday 17 April 2012

In Our Time: Conductivity and Superconductivity

In Our Time is a podcast series with Melvyn Bragg on BBC Radio 4. It is a series which is aimed at the inquisitive individual, and features topics ranging from physics to philosophy, literature to the living world. I highly recommend it, especially those on the subject of maths/physics.

Today, I was catching up on my podcasts and came across this gem: Conductivity and Superconductivity. This is a very nice walk-through of the topic from the early discoveries of the property right up to today's cutting edge devices. This is absolutely perfect for students studying the topic, especially how it follows the technology's progression in terms of time.

(Written while listening to IOT Podcast, Conductivity and Superconductivity)

Thursday 12 April 2012

Making a Bit of Noise



It's been too long since I sat on the business side of a drum kit. But I am glad to report that last Saturday, I went to a friends practice room to see if I could still cut the mustard.

Before my move to Sheffield, I played drums quite often. I even taught a cool little dude how to play! Final year in college conspired against my drumming, and the move to Sheffield put a stop to it altogether. One call to accept a previous offer from a colleague, and we were away!

I am gonna keep it short: you don't forget, you just lose the edge. Looking forward to sharpening up though...

(Written while listening to Incubus - Make Yourself)