#esp. the two generation interconnecting

[anderwater]

druck non-white cast linking up and working together may be all i still care about

[dipperdesperado]

Design Might Be Our Most Powerful Liberatory Tool

Look, we all know the situation. The world kinda sucks right now. Things are not looking great. The environment is dying, the global majority is impoverished, and communities are fragmented. Don’t even get me started on neocolonialism. With our interconnected global societies, these issues are all mangled and tangled together, and impact all of us, directly and indirectly.

As a designer, I have a bias, but I view everything that we as humans do through a design lens. I see all of the failings I mentioned as design failures. If inequity was designed, we can use design to create something much better. It’s all about the design process. By centering liberty, equity, solidarity, ecology, and cooperation in our design process, whether the project is a piece of technology or a system of governance, we’ll be able to not only address the issues that are negatively impacting us but iterate toward the most equitable future possible.

So, that might sound great to you, but you could also be wondering, “What do we do to center those things in our design work?” We have to critically unpack how design is done by designing our design process with these things in mind. After all, if we set out to design a free world, but we just use the same old tools and systems in the same old ways, we won’t get the result that we want. Even if, by some miracle, conditions do substantially improve, that victory won’t be long-lasting. Design isn’t neutral. Having the goal be liberation is great, but if our process isn’t liberatory, then we’re likely to recreate systems of oppression, with a different set of rulers.

Essentially, our goal with any equity-focused, liberatory design work is to solve the problems we face in a flexible and adaptable manner. We have to make sure that we understand, catalog and check our biases and assumptions to create a foundation of liberation.

To reframe our design process to truly solve the issues that face us, we need to:

See everyone as a designer. Everyone interacts and contributes to the products of design. Everyone impacted by a design should have a say in how and what is designed. Co-creating with communities allows us to start the work of eroding pyramidal power structures and rebuild power distribution horizontally.

Be willing to experiment. Our first idea won’t be our best, but that’s okay!

Embrace complexity. There is a tendency to default to the simplest solution to a problem. By being open to having solutions that are more involved, we create a possibility space that holds way more potential to address problems in a holistic way.

These frames allow us to start to cede power as “Designers” to the people who the designs are meant for. This is important because there is no better way to solve problems than to involve the people most directly affected by the problem. Capital D “Designers” have to be willing to design with people, not for people.

As an example: due to the stratified, hierarchical nature of our industrial-technical society, people generally have been grouped into two categories: empowering jobs and disempowering jobs. Many of us are familiar with this situation: as a young person, you work in a job that is fully disempowering, where your role essentially involves doing the most menial work out of anyone in the hierarchy. As you provide value to the business you’re working for through your labor, you move up the hierarchy, which allows you to “earn” more empowering jobs, which have you doing fewer and fewer disempowering tasks as you climb the ladder.

This system reinforces itself, where people only get power and agency by being willing to make up lower levels of the hierarchy. This leads to a general belief that the system is immutable. You “have” to participate and climb the ladder in order to gain the position you actually want.

This type of stratification and hierarchy permeates every aspect of our lives, from the family unit to the government. It seeps into our social situations, and as designers, especially ones focused on liberation, we have to be aware of this. Our tasks are not to just create new things but recreate the relationships to things so that mindsets can be shifted for the betterment of everyone the design touches. If we can design in ways that center our values and aspirations, both in the way things are created and what things are created, we can redefine our society in a positive way that leaves no one behind and refuses to calcify inequality.

[infizero]

pokespe reread: emerald chapter - closing thoughts! 🟢

i've finished emerald!! and with it comes the end of the era of the dexholders constantly meeting up with each other and interacting between generations 😔

we'll still get to see these guys again (other than yellow. sorry yellow. i hope they bring u back one day honey) but past this point it's gonna be a lot less overtly interconnected. which is fine! but it is a little sad :')

anyways, here's my thoughts on the chapter as a whole!

(i also wanna preface this with the fact that i realized near the beginning that as a kid i definitely never actually read this arc in its entirety, just the end part once gold and crystal show up 💀 so technically this wasn't a true reread. but yknow. anyways)

the first thing that i noticed is that this arc feels a lot more focused on the battles and gimmicks at first; it kinda takes a while for the story to really kick in, which did make the first bits of it a littleeee boring/bland for me personally. but thats ok

i think part of that is because of how emerald as a character is depicted. i love emerald, but he is a character where for most of the arc, we see him from an outside perspective, via other characters observing him and wondering about him rather than really getting to read his thoughts and learn about him as a person. this can make him feel kind of uninteresting in the beginning, but i dont think its a severe issue or anything.

i do also think that the way his backstory is revealed is a littleee clunky? like having ruby and sapphire just be like "we dont much about you so tell us all about yourself!" feels like kind of an obvious plot device to get emerald backstory and doesnt read very naturally. but i dont rlly care, esp since we then immediately go INTO his backstory which is very enjoyable to read through.

speaking of which, i love his dynamic with crystal so so much. i think it's really cute how the whole reason he became a dexholder was just because he wanted to train with her :)

and speaking of emerald's friends........ latios and latias YIPPEE. i love that they just like him for some reason and go around being his friends its cute as hell. and of course. latias. im not going to lie to you and say that human latias isnt cute as hell IT'S CUTE AS HELL OK. ALL OF ITS OUTFITS ARE ADORABLE AND I LOVE IT JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. sorry...........

moving on, i reallyyyy love ruby and sapphire in this arc. their dialogue and just general characterization is. mwah. i love them trying to be friends with emerald and him just totally shutting them down LOL

i will say that ruby forgetting the climax of R&S is. kind of stupid and feels like a way to just artificially create more relationship drama between these two. i think that was mentioned/implied at the end of R&S but i forgot lol. anyways iirc i dont think this gets resolved until ORAS which is fucking insane. we'll see but considering that my memories of ORAS are not good, i feel like it's very likely that i'll end up just retconning this in my personal hc lol

ok DUDE. the shit with the blue orb was sooooo sick. i was so happy that they explored that a bit more bcuz the whole thing of the orbs corrupting anyone who touches them (and RUBY AND SAPPHIRE HAVING BOTH DONE THAT) was really fucking cool and i def thougt it could be touched on more.

i like how we learn about it more not just for the sake of it, but also it ends up being relevant because of archie. and we get to learn through it that there are permanent side effects no matter what, via sapphire's eyes apparently having a dim glow to them because of her contact w the blue orb? which um. is fucking sick

circling back to archie, him being guile is genuinely a cool twist and i didnt see it coming even though i have literally read this before. also him literally KILLING(?) maxie for another shot at life is genuinelyyyy fucking crazy. and i like how they tied in team galactic, it makes this feel at least a little connected to the upcoming chapter.

ok and now. something that's not at all relevant to the chapter as a whole but i have to talk about bcuz to middle school me this was the only thing that mattered about this arc

gold and silver in this arc make me sooooo fucking ill oh my lawrd. this shit is still just as crazy as it was in middle school WHAT ARE WE DOING RIGHT NOW

ok first of all. gold giving silver the ring (via very much Holding His Hand) and calling him his buddy. looking absolutely MURDEROUS after archie taps on the petrified silver. i love how this arc shows just how much gold cares about silver. crystal too ofc, but its less expected from gold due to how rocky their relationship was in the beginning. like that is his friend and if you touch him you will die. understand?

and then of course this moment oh my godddd bro. like him calling silver his buddy is just like aww theyre friends but then gold had to go and act as gay as possible about it. WHY ARE YOU FULL FACE BLUSHING OVER SILVER OVERHEARING YOU CALL HIM YOUR FRIEND! YOU ARE GAY!!!!!!!!!!

also i already said this in my initial post about this moment but like. its even gayer when you imagine what it looked like without gold's inner thoughts here, like silver tells him he heard and gold just blushes and looks all nervous/embarrassed. and then silver just continues talking. like hello.......

ANYWAYS. YELLOWWWWWWW

them getting to deal the final blow was fucking awesome. they didnt get to do a lot this arc since they were petrified with the others, but im glad that they were specifically highlighted here. getting to see them finally as officially part of the dexholders is so cool! esp since we dont get to see yellow past this point, i think this is a nice little mini sendoff to their character (for now)

seeing all the dexholders interact in general is just so fun and makes me so so happy. they're a family!!! they look out for each other!!! grahhhh

anyways. that's about all i have to say :) i've become a little busier so i dont know when i'll be starting diamond & pearl, but im very excited to since that means I GET TO SEE DPP AGAIN. MY CHILDREN.

its gonna be so polyamorous in this bitch i cant fucking wait. esp to expose anyone unfamiliar with pokespe or that specific chapter with the absolute canon polycule that is those three. oh my lordddd i miss them so much i cant wait.

anyways!!! see you all then!

[doesispknowaboutvpn]

what is ipsec vpn connection

🔒🌍✨ Get 3 Months FREE VPN - Secure & Private Internet Access Worldwide! Click Here ✨🌍🔒

what is ipsec vpn connection

IPsec VPN Protocols

Title: Exploring IPsec VPN Protocols: Secure Connectivity for Modern Networks

In the realm of network security, IPsec VPN protocols stand tall as robust guardians of data confidentiality and integrity. IPsec, short for Internet Protocol Security, encompasses a suite of protocols designed to secure Internet Protocol (IP) communications by authenticating and encrypting each IP packet within a communication session. This technology is instrumental in establishing virtual private networks (VPNs), enabling secure communication over public networks such as the internet.

Two primary protocols within the IPsec framework are Authentication Header (AH) and Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP). AH provides authentication and integrity protection for IP packets by generating a hash-based message authentication code (HMAC). On the other hand, ESP offers both encryption and authentication, encapsulating the original IP packet and providing confidentiality through encryption algorithms like AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) or 3DES (Triple Data Encryption Standard).

IPsec VPNs can operate in two modes: transport mode and tunnel mode. In transport mode, only the payload (data) of the IP packet is encrypted, leaving the original IP header intact. This mode is suitable for securing communication between individual hosts. Conversely, tunnel mode encrypts both the IP header and payload, creating a new IP packet with a different header. Tunnel mode is commonly used to establish secure communication between networks, such as connecting branch offices to a central corporate network.

Additionally, IPsec supports various key exchange mechanisms for establishing secure communication channels, including Internet Key Exchange (IKE) and IKEv2. These protocols facilitate the negotiation of security parameters and the exchange of cryptographic keys between communicating parties, ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of transmitted data.

In conclusion, IPsec VPN protocols offer a comprehensive solution for establishing secure communication channels over the internet and other public networks. By leveraging encryption, authentication, and key exchange mechanisms, IPsec safeguards sensitive data and enables organizations to maintain the confidentiality of their communications in an increasingly interconnected world.

Encryption in VPN Connections

Encryption in VPN Connections

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have become essential tools for ensuring online privacy and security. One of the key features that make VPNs secure is encryption. Encryption in VPN connections plays a crucial role in protecting data from unauthorized access and ensuring that sensitive information remains confidential.

When you connect to a VPN server, your data is encrypted before it is transmitted over the internet. Encryption involves encoding the data in such a way that only authorized parties can decipher it using a unique key. This process ensures that even if your data is intercepted by hackers or other malicious entities, it will appear as gibberish to them without the decryption key.

There are different encryption protocols used in VPN connections, with the most common ones being OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, and IKEv2/IPsec. These protocols employ various encryption algorithms such as AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) and RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman) to secure data transmission.

AES is widely regarded as one of the most secure encryption algorithms due to its robust protection against brute force attacks. It offers different key lengths, with AES-256 being the strongest and most commonly used in VPN services.

In addition to encryption protocols, VPN providers also implement secure tunneling technologies like SSL/TLS to create a safe passage for data to travel between your device and the VPN server. This adds an extra layer of security to VPN connections, making it difficult for cybercriminals to intercept or tamper with the transmitted data.

In conclusion, encryption is a fundamental component of VPN connections, ensuring that your online activities remain private and secure. By using a VPN with strong encryption protocols, you can browse the internet with peace of mind knowing that your data is protected from prying eyes.

IPsec VPN Tunneling

IPsec VPN tunneling is a secure method of communication used to establish encrypted connections over the internet. IPsec, which stands for Internet Protocol Security, provides a framework for securing IP communications by authenticating and encrypting each IP packet in a data stream.

When setting up an IPsec VPN tunnel, two main components are involved: the IPsec tunnel mode and the IPsec transport mode. In tunnel mode, the entire IP packet is encrypted and encapsulated within another IP packet for secure transmission between networks. On the other hand, transport mode only encrypts the payload of the IP packet, leaving the header intact for direct communication between hosts.

One of the key benefits of using IPsec VPN tunneling is its ability to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of data transmitted between networks. By encrypting data at the IP level, IPsec helps prevent unauthorized access and eavesdropping, making it an essential tool for securing sensitive information over public networks.

Moreover, IPsec VPN tunneling supports various encryption algorithms and protocols, allowing users to customize their security configurations based on their specific needs. Whether it's for remote access, site-to-site connections, or secure communication between cloud resources, IPsec VPN tunneling provides a reliable and robust solution for establishing secure network connections.

In conclusion, IPsec VPN tunneling offers a versatile and secure approach to safeguarding data transmissions over the internet. With its strong encryption capabilities and flexible deployment options, IPsec remains a popular choice for organizations looking to protect their network communications from potential threats and vulnerabilities.

VPN Authentication Methods

VPN (Virtual Private Network) authentication methods play a crucial role in ensuring secure and private communication over the internet. These methods are essential for verifying the identities of users and protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access. There are several common VPN authentication methods used by both individuals and organizations:

Username and Password: This is the most basic form of VPN authentication, where users are required to enter a unique username and a corresponding password. While simple to implement, it may be vulnerable to brute-force attacks if weak passwords are used.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Adding an extra layer of security, 2FA requires users to provide a second form of authentication in addition to their username and password. This could be a temporary code sent to their mobile device or generated by an authenticator app.

Digital Certificates: Certificates are cryptographic keys issued by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). Users need to possess a valid certificate to authenticate themselves to the VPN server. This method offers strong security but requires careful management of certificates.

Biometric Authentication: Some advanced VPN systems support biometric authentication, such as fingerprint or facial recognition. This adds an extra level of security by verifying a user's unique biological characteristics.

Token-Based Authentication: Tokens, either hardware or software-based, are used to generate one-time passwords or cryptographic keys. These tokens are synchronized with the VPN server and provide an additional layer of security against unauthorized access.

RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service): RADIUS is a networking protocol that provides centralized authentication, authorization, and accounting management for users. VPN servers can integrate with RADIUS servers to authenticate users against a centralized database.

Choosing the right authentication method depends on the specific security requirements and usability considerations of the VPN deployment. A combination of these methods can further enhance security while providing a seamless user experience.

Benefits of IPsec VPNs

Title: Exploring the Benefits of IPsec VPNs

In the modern digital landscape, where data security is paramount, IPsec VPNs (Internet Protocol Security Virtual Private Networks) have emerged as a crucial tool for safeguarding sensitive information transmitted over networks. IPsec VPNs offer a range of benefits that contribute to enhanced privacy, confidentiality, and integrity of data communication.

Data Encryption: One of the primary advantages of IPsec VPNs is their ability to encrypt data packets, ensuring that even if intercepted, the information remains unreadable to unauthorized parties. This encryption utilizes advanced cryptographic algorithms, providing a secure tunnel for data transmission over public networks like the internet.

Authentication and Access Control: IPsec VPNs employ robust authentication mechanisms to verify the identities of users and devices attempting to access the network. By implementing strict access control policies, organizations can prevent unauthorized individuals from infiltrating their network infrastructure, thus bolstering overall security posture.

Data Integrity: With IPsec VPNs, data integrity is maintained through the use of integrity checks, such as HMAC (Hash-Based Message Authentication Code), which detect any tampering or alteration of transmitted data. This ensures that information remains unchanged during transit, mitigating the risk of data manipulation or corruption.

Enhanced Privacy: By establishing secure connections between remote users and corporate networks, IPsec VPNs enable employees to access sensitive resources and applications without compromising privacy. This is particularly valuable for remote workers, as it allows them to securely connect to the company network from any location, minimizing the risk of data breaches.

Cost-Effectiveness: Implementing IPsec VPNs can result in cost savings for organizations compared to traditional leased lines or dedicated networks. By utilizing existing internet infrastructure, businesses can establish secure connections at a fraction of the cost, making IPsec VPNs an attractive solution for companies of all sizes.

In conclusion, IPsec VPNs offer a comprehensive suite of benefits that address the evolving cybersecurity needs of modern enterprises. From encryption and authentication to privacy and cost-effectiveness, the advantages of IPsec VPNs make them indispensable for ensuring secure and seamless communication across distributed networks.

[sergeantsporks]

if we're talking abt mixing magic still. i'm making toh OCs set twenty years in the future, when the coven system is presumably long abolished, so i've given a few thoughts to how it might work in the future. this gets really off topic from the starting point and is probably far removed from the context this topic came from, sorry abt that!!!

one main thought is that (some aspects of)construction-abominations-beastkeeping-plants follow a rough continuum slash grouping? coz uhh biodiversity, terrain, the general existence of soil and geology and how abominations are kind of muddy... there's those interconnections

like i think in general the future development of magic would be both a revival of 'old ways' and importation of human ideas (in my interpretation of the setting's future). so mixing magic is part of that. even if you're a magical sheep farmer in that era you'd know spells that would've been considered 'plants' or 'oracle' or even stuff on the crossover which couldn't have even existed just a few decades prior.

Oh, yeah, that makes sense! Like, okay, you gave a pretty good one, or like, a division into uhhhh nature sects vs not nature sects? So like, construction, plants, beastkeeping, healing, and then on the other side you have illusions, oracles, potions, bard, and then abomination is like... it goes between the two, because it involves living things and stuff but abominations sort of also seem like industry sort of things, esp. with Alador? But just yeah, the idea of melding it together into compatibility, some magics work well with others, so you can blend it into one field, others it's like learning how to throw a ball vs. learning how to draw, maybe both require your arms/hands, but it's a wildly different field.

[dathen]

i have a feeling I'm going to get into another podcast because of you (complimentary). Please tell me more about Hello From The Hallowoods?

GLADLY, this is my purpose in life

Also from @majickss:

I’m kinda interested in hello hallowoods, what’s the set up?

[buzzes as I try to figure out where to start]

So the general set-up is like a radio program from a near-omniscient godlike figure.  He tells the stories of people who live in and around the Hallowoods, a spooky northern forest that can best be described by @pitviperofdoom​‘s “Like Over the Garden Wall’s ‘Unknown,’ but if everyone was trans.”  The forest is filled with strange goings-on and terrifying creatures, and things that die tend to not stay dead.

The short stories are from different points of view along the way, but begin to interconnect within the first few episodes: the daughter of an insurrectionist searching for her missing girlfriend, a man (and his good living dog and his good undead dog) who pulls bodies from the bog for a living now tasked to find someone lost in the woods, a genderfluid mercenary who can control the weather, a wandering patchwork-corpse who helps everyone they come across.  The characters are SO fascinating and compelling, and it takes me an average of three seconds to get invested in them and their relationships.

And oh my god it is so soft.  I am wearing out my face muscles going  🥺 🥺 🥺 the entire time as I listen.  It’s such gentle and hopeful horror, full of (genuine) found family and damaged souls learning to trust again and people finding love when they least expect it.  Also VERY much a “monstrousness is what you do, not what you are” story.  I wish I could list a hundred spoilery examples here, but this is the #1 reason I can’t shut up about it lately.  

AND SO MUCH TRANSNESS HOLY SHIT.  Like I don’t want to do the “it has queer rep! no I won’t tell you anything else” thing, but I am floored at how many trans characters of so many kinds there are, especially since I find that’s often sparse even in areas with lots of queer rep.  It’s almost to the point where I’m surprised if a character isn’t established as trans when they’re introduced.  And it’s not just “the character happens to be [blank], you find out 100 episodes in;” it’s so interwoven into the themes and the narrative and the heart of it.  Okay I could ramble about this forever but you didn’t ask for an essay sldfjflj

Full disclaimer: It’s definitely not a “no prejudices exist” story.  It explores a lot of angles of queerness through the narrative, from directly discussing and celebrating it (some of those episode intros nearly had me in happy-tears) to casual inclusion (someone asking the genderfluid character their pronouns at the moment each time they meet) to facing struggles or violence (a ghost pouring out his heart about the abuse he faced from his transphobic father).  The episodes are rarely as harsh as the content warnings make them sound, but yeah check the content warnings (esp for episode 16).

Second disclaimer:  Yes, the narrator’s inflection does give off strong WTNV vibes, but stick around for an episode or two and you’ll see it’s very much its own thing.

If you read this far bless your soul and your patience \o/

[ober-affen-geil]

So literally every one of your recent gifsets has made me pause and curse softly. I mean, I adore your gifsets in general(I have no sense for lyrics or poetry but you make me feel things, it's very odd in a good way) but I did not expect these to hit so hard. Mostly because while I definitely understand the draw for Miluca I still don't...want it, I guess. Mostly because all I can see is Maria getting hurt by his secrets, one way or another. I want her happy, in some ways more than I even 1/3

{Alex and Michael together.(which, I ship them so hard it’s weird for me. I actively want them to kiss onscreen and that’s usually a thing that I more suffer through. Reading it is fine, but seeing it - I don’t see the appeal. Except no, I see the appeal, of course they want to kiss each other. I would have watched the show on the strength of their relationship alone, for the novelty if nothing else) But Maria just - I don’t want her hurt and I can’t see a way to avoid that here. I’m against 2/3

[third part missing thanks to tumblr, ask continued after advertising on my blog]

Oh man dude that got out of hand very fast so honestly I don’t remember. (I just wanted to say I liked your gifsets and then I realized I was talking about why and that dovetailed with why I can’t really get behind Miluca even when I see things that make me like it) But yes it was because the third part was when I actually figured out the point. Highlights are that I don’t like Miluca(they’re both going to be hurt, I feel like, but Maria esp and I love her too much to want to see her hurt by ½

his secrets. Plus, I feel like Michael can only really move up or stay stagnant atm, Maria could go up or down and I fear a downswing is coming. I definitely think they’ve got an interesting dynamic, but I’d honestly be much more interested in that dynamic if they weren’t romantically involved, or even dancing around it) Also I like your gifsets because every relationship feels equally prominent and complex and compelling, even ones like Miluca that I normally just don’t want to deal with. 2/2}

———————————————————————————————————–

Whew. Anon that is a lot, but who am I to say anything lol. Also very glad you found me again! Welcome!

First of all, thank you for your very kind words about my sets. I’m beyond flattered, so

Second of all, big ass mood on the surprise at shipping them so hard. And for me hardcore SAME for Echo, which was a big shock because I’m usually not here for het as much as I am for Echo so like. Idk WHAT they’re putting in the water but. Go Roswell go!

Third of all, woof. This is like reading my own thoughts immediately after the finale, and I mean that literally. I try to stay more or less neutral on this subject, partially because I know it’s a contentious one and I try to have my blog be welcoming to everyone from the fandom who might want to see content and partially because I really don’t like to speculate overmuch ESPECIALLY with shows like this that can turn on a fucking dime, but. In the interest of reciprocity and because I am absolutely starved for new show content, I’m gonna step out from under my neutrality umbrella for a hot second.

I am an endgame Malex shipper. I don’t try to hide that. But the reason I am an endgame Malex shipper is one of the reasons I’m not all that bothered by Miluca, and that is that the way the narrative has been set up (from episode one) Echo and Malex are on squarely even footing. Literally the second meta post I ever did for this fandom was about parallels between the two, that’s how strongly it speaks to me. (I am very, very happy to do another upon request.) In my mind, Malex is as clearly endgame as Echo is. That’s just the way I see the storytelling.

The other reason I’m not all that bothered by it addresses your concern about Maria being hurt. Because honestly, I’m frustrated about that too. I really like Maria and I don’t love seeing her in a situation that I’m pretty certain is going to end badly. But here’s the thing. As much as I doubt Maria is going to end up with Michael (poor boy has to finish crashing from last season, someone please get him a hug and a therapist ffs), her involvement with him is also almost certainly going to blow the doors off her story.

We didn’t see her a lot in season one, not as character with an independent story line, and I think that’s going to change in season two. Mostly because we now know that her necklace, a family heirloom, contains the non-native flower whose pollen happens to subdue alien powers. And she suspects something is up with Michael’s hand. And there have been too many seeds planted about her mother’s undiagnosable decline from mental stability for me to sit there and NOT expect that to become relevant. 

Basically, like Isobel, I think we’re going to get to see Maria stand on her own a lot starting in season two. And it’s going to come from the fact that Michael came to her in the Wild Pony at the end of the season one finale because he was finally at a place where he could step away from Alex. (Which I believe is a good thing, I’ve talked about that before.) I think it’s going to open her up and yeah, she’s probably going to get hurt. But frankly, so is everyone else.

Michael is going to crash and burn. Hard. Isobel is apparently dealing with all of her stuff from last season in not the healthiest of ways. Max up and fucking died and while I absolutely LOVE THAT (no really, I do), Liz isn’t gonna take that too well. Kyle has now found himself in the middle of quite the shit storm, so heaven help the poor man. Rosa is just. Well, fucked, basically. And Alex, as much as I love to see him having found himself, seems like he’s going to go a little too far in the other direction which is going to be fascinating.

All this to say, yeah. I super feel where you’re coming from. But I can’t see the ships in this show as isolated from each other, they are all interconnected in ways that very much affect and inform all the individual arcs and journeys for me. So I guess that’s why my sets come across the way they do lol. Thanks again for the lovely words anon, I hope you don’t mind me riffing off them.

[marvellegends]

What Marvel movies would one absolutely need to see before Infinity War / Endgame in order to get a general understanding of what’s happening? Asking for a friend.

There are some recap supercut videos on youtube which could be very handy in understanding what has been going on for the last 11 years, all movies are interconnected with each other one way or another, so even you don’t watch every single movie I think it’s important to at least know all the events that had happened that lead us to Infinity War & Endgame, having the big picture in mind

These two are events orientated:

Marvel Recap: Everything You Need To Know Before Avengers: Endgame Releases

The Marvel Cinematic Universe Timeline in Chronological Order 

This one focuses more on characters and relationships:

MCU Supercut - The Road to the End

So I’d say after watching these crash course videos of MCU, you can always pick on movies or characters that you find you’re drawn to more and watch them, in order to understand the characters and their relationships more in depth, because their arcs (esp the OG 6 Avengers) are going to pay off in Endgame. 

In terms of movies that one needs to watch for better understanding of the plot, given that Endgame focuses on the OG6 Avengers as it is their one last outing as a team, it makes sense to watch all the previous Avengers movies at least, so you get the idea of the journey the group of heroes has been through, and it will pay off in Endgame

The Avengers (2012) - how they come together

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) - how it sets up Civil War, Infinity War & Endgame

Captain America: Civil War (2016) - how they break up, it explains why the characters were where they were in Infinity War, and set up the story arc between Steve and Tony that is going to pay off in Endgame

Thor: Ragnarok (2017) - the outcome of the movie is a direct set up to Infinity War, and in terms of Thor and Bruce’s character journey

Avengers: Infinity War (2018) - this is a given

Hope that helps! 

[46ten]

Eliza Hamilton biography review

Tilar J. Mazzeo's Eliza Hamilton: The Extraordinary Life and Times of the Wife of Alexander Hamilton Let me preface this review by stating that I'm not the target audience for a book like this, but I’ll try to be fair. A major challenge in writing a biography of Elizabeth S. Hamilton is that the period of her life when the general public has the most interest - the years of her marriage to Alexander Hamilton - are those in which we largely only have contemporaneous sentimental accounts of her as a wife (letters from AH and P. Schuyler, brief mentions from McHenry and Stephen Van Rensselaer), daughter (letters from P. Schuyler), and sister (letters to/from Angelica S. Church and Margarita/Peggy S. Van Rensselaer, and letters between her siblings and father). But that's not all that EH - or any woman - was.  Based on the lack of information provided in this biography, Mazzeo's not terribly interested in the role of upperclass women in the late 18th century, the dynamics of marriage in that era, class distinctions between women, labor dynamics, childbearing and -rearing customs (she doesn't know about naming customs either), handicrafts, household management, women’s roles in education, the Republican Court, or any of a range of topics that would flesh out EH's world. Mazzeo doesn’t elaborate on the common conceit of the era that women had a political and social duty to the republic, including in helping to regulate the affairs of men through their “complementary” traits. She largely treats the social gatherings of women as arenas for gossip, titillation, and regular old social duty, not as opportunities for soft diplomacy, influence, and favor currying, which they most definitely also were. The women in this biography just sort of move across the stage of male dominance.* Since Mazzeo largely does not contextualize EH's 18th century life and seems to fall into the trap of, “the work of men is important; the work of women is only of side interest,” she's left repeating lots of gossip and conjecturing about romantic thoughts and feelings, as if these were largely all that women had to offer in the 18th century. Mazzeo clearly read letters that have not been included in the standard Hamilton narrative and found some things - mostly gossipy items - really interesting and was willing to go down the rabbit-hole on those, but was also comfortable relying on Hamilton biographies without going to primary sources on many subjects.  The Good Mazzeo does add some valuable context of the events in Albany especially.  She also adds Schuyler family voices to the narrative. I also liked how solidly she showed the interconnection of the Schuylers and AH with other wealthy and influential families. Although Mazzeo doesn't completely make the link, the tension of life near the frontier, wars, and the assassination attempts on her father's life may have played a role in EH's anxiety, such as it was, about being separated from her husband, esp. as he was also subject to threats of assassination at times. She could have more clearly made a counterargument to biographers' claims of EH's nervous anxiety by pointing out the terrors that EH really did face, but she does not do this. While for dubious reasons (based on how she sees EH as a character), Mazzeo raises issues around the Reynolds Pamphlet. It needs to be taken more seriously that Maria Reynolds denied - to at least two parties on the record - that an extramarital affair ever happened and volunteered a handwriting sample** to prove that the letters in AH's supposed possession were not written by her.  I appreciate that Mazzeo brought up that AH's explanation for his involvement with James Reynolds was not universally accepted at the time - Monroe had serious doubts, as did Callendar.  Unfortunately, some of Callendar's pamphlets detailing why he thought both were possible - AH was a sleaze who could have both had an affair with MR AND been engaged in shady financial dealings with her husband - are also lost to history.  I am also gleeful that I'm not the only person who has noticed that there is a similarity between EH's spelling style and MR's as re-printed. (I have also entertained the thought that EH forged those MR letters herself, or were AH forgeries copying parts of his wife's letters.)  I also appreciate that she points out that AH's claim of an affair with MR became widespread knowledge in the political sphere within a very short period of time. The Bad While Mazzeo adds to the record with facts from the Schuyler family letters, she relies heavily on Hamilton biographies, and not even the thorough, well-sourced ones, for others.  Based on the notes at the end of the book, she didn't bother to go to (or check for) primary sources for a lot of facts about AH. She states that Edward Stevens was "likely" AH's half-brother, which has largely been dismissed as a possibility. There are bizarre dating errors, wrong years, even wrong kids named - by my rough estimate, on average there are factual errors at least on every other page. Did Mazzeo not have a fact-checker - even someone decently acquainted with the facts around the persons she’s writing about? (She also contradicts herself on information she’s provided, so maybe she didn’t have a good proofreader either.) It's head-scratching that Mazzeo would do enough research to conjecture that "Polly" (from Tench Tilghman's May 1780 letter, recorded in his memoir) was Mary Tilghman, but not bother to read AH and GW letters to know more about EH's 1794 pregnancy.  Similarly, she gets it right that William S. Hamilton was born in NYC, but then thinks Eliza traveled to Albany right after. (Although a letter from PS to EH from late August contradicts that claim.)  She even repeats the shoe bow story, but claims it did happen in 1789 (incorrect), and says the person mistakenly thought Peggy was unmarried because of the way she behaved? Stephen Van Rensselaer was a reasonably well-known man. Back to the Reynolds Pamphlet: Mazzeo uses as evidence of AH's drafting of the MR letters the similarity between them and Pamela. It's not really evidence that someone - anyone - would write using common idioms and expressions of the time. AH did it quite frequently himself, as I've written about on this blog - he's doing it when he uses the popular phrase, "best of wives, best of women," not making some reference to the Nut-brown maid poem. This isn't proof that the MR letters were forged. Mazzeo hypothesizes that the real reason for the Pamphlet was further financial scandal cover-up, but never conjectures as to the wheres/hows. (If only she could see my many pages of notes on the interactions between AH, John Church, and Church's financial associates.) I'm also baffled as to Mazzeo's explanation for EH going along with the coverup of a financial scandal of the Reynolds Pamphet - because she was afraid of her husband going to jail? That this was EH's biggest fear? Where is the evidence for that? The Ugly The treatment of Peggy! Harsh and man hungry and scared of being a spinster - though a theme with Mazzeo is all of these women being obsessed with flirtations and afraid of ending up husband-less. The treatment of Angelica! The treatment of JOHN CHURCH, whom she describes as a "scoundrel." AH is a "rogue," seemingly with a drinking problem, visiting prostitutes (yet somehow having MR as a mistress would be too much), staying out late at night. It's a wonder that Mazzeo's AH ever accomplished anything in his life, with all of the 18th century character flaws and errors in judgement she gives him.  Most especially with sexual activities, she repeats gossip from AH detractors several times in the book, while her sources are John Adams (as much as two decades later) and Benjamin Latrobe (good friend to Jefferson).  Mazzeo repeats a story, more than once, about AH sexually assaulting Sarah L. Jay that Adams related decades later and that even Adams' cousin William Cunningham said sounded like nonsense, and guesses as to EH's parlor-room reaction to it.  Yet AH and Church would have had about zero social standing if this were really how they had behaved (or if these anecdotes had been widely known at the time). And then there's all of the fantasy treated as fact - without letters to draw on from the period of her childhood and marriage, Mazzeo spends a lot of time imagining EH's feelings and thoughts and presenting them as facts. As one illustration, Mazzeo invents a wedding scene in which Eliza and Alexander exchange rings. Nevermind that EH's actual wedding ring was interlocking and AH likely never had a ring - Mazzeo has AH give Eliza the "Elizabeth" ring, and her give him the "Alexander &" ring. Why would they exchange rings with their own names? Finally, there's a good deal of documentation of EH's life after AH, including more letters from her, more evidence of her financial management, and actually more about her beliefs, thoughts and feelings than are available during her marriage. This is the period when EH's "voice" is most clearly recorded, along with her actions outside the management of her household and her husband's public career. Yet this gets very short-shrift by Mazzeo. The Ugly left a strong impression - it doesn't seem that Mazzeo is neutral about the personages, but actively dislikes them. At various times, she slams pretty much everyone who made up EH's closest circle during her marriage: her parents, her sisters, her husband, her brother-in-law, and then goes against acceptance of the Reynolds Pamphlet not through analysis of the evidence but because she wants an EH that is more palatable to her.  EH, ultimately, comes across as a cypher. Mazzeo does have a strong narrative style, and I wish that this book could have been a collaboration between a historian (or at least someone with stronger scholarly skills) and herself, to at least tease out a real world.  I think we're a good 50 years past writing women from other eras as if they're completely unknowable except as wives, mothers, and daughters. *In patriarchal cultures, there are always women cooperating with the dominant culture as a means to their own ends. The compromises and nuances of how that plays out in societal rules are fascinating. But, I guess, not to Mazzeo.

**This really needs further comment in my epic John Church-AH shenanigans post, where Jeremiah Wadsworth gets more attention, but I’ll point out here that AH asked Wadsworth to confirm MR’s handwriting, from AH to Wadsworth, 28Jul1797 (in NYC, writing to Wadsworth in Hartford, CT): 

My Dear Wadsworth

I regretted much, that I did not find you here.

I know you have seen the late publications, in which the affair of Reynold’s is revived. I should have taken no notice of them had not the names of Mughlenberg Monroe & Venable given them an artificial importance. But I thought under this circumstance, I could not but attend to them. The affair has so turned that I am obliged to publish every thing.

But from the lapse of time I am somewhat embarrassed to prove Mrs. Reynold’s hand writing. Thinking it probable, as she was a great scribbler you must have received some notes from her when she applied to you for assistance, I send you one of her notes to me and if your recollection serves would be much obliged to you to return it with your affidavit annexed—“That you received letters from Mrs. Reynolds, conceived yourself to be acquainted with her hand writing & that you verily believe this letter to be of her hand writing.”

If your memory does not serve you then return the letter alone to me. If I remember right I never knew of your agency towards procuring Reynold’s relief, till after he was discharged. If your memory stands in the same way, I will thank you to add a declaration to this effect.

Dont neglect me nor lose time.

Yrs. truly

This was Wadsworth’s response (2Aug1796), truncated by me: 

your favor of the 28th July arrived late last evening. I have not the least knowledge of Mrs. Reynolds’s hand writing nor do I remember ever to have recd a line from her if I did they were destroyed but a letter or two for you which by Your request I returned to her or destroyed. ...[S]he immediately fell into a flood of Tears and told me a long storey about her application to You for Money when in distress in her husbands Absence & that it ended in a amour & was discovered by her husband from a letter she had written to you which fell into his hands. I told her I would see Mr. Woolcott & G Mifflin The next Morning I told Mr. Woolcott what had passed he then related the transaction for which Clingn & Reys had been committed. I then went to Mifflin and told him I came at ye request of Mrs. Reynolds. he imediately told me that she had told him the Story of the amour. ...A Mr. Clingman whom I had never seen before and seemed to have been sent for was present part of the time. From this interview I was fully confirmed in my Opinion before formed that the whole business was a combination among them to Swindle you. Mrs Reynolds called on me again and urged me deliver letters to You. You refused to receive them & desired me to return letters for You or destroy them I do not know which. I rec’d several Messages from her and again went to her house told her you would hold no correspondence with her and gave her my Opinion as at first that her husband must undergo a trial. I can not be particular as to time & date and I do not remember that I ever knew how he was liberated untill I lately saw Mr Woolcott. I certainly never considered myselfe as having any agency in procureing Reynolds’s relief nor do I remember ever to have had any conversation with You on the subject untill after your meeting with the Mess Munroe Melenburg & Venables. and had supposed Reynolds to have been ⟨released⟩ by their influence he was ⟨ashamed⟩ to have been so ⟨–⟩ after an Explanation with you. I am sorry you have found it necessary to publish any thing for it will be easy to invent new Calumnies & you may be kept continualy employed in answring. be Assured it never will be in the power of your enemies to give the public an opinion that you have Speculated in ye funds, nor do they expect it: I should have replied by this days Post—but the Mail arrives here at nine at night & goes out at Two in the Morning. I am D sir truly yours

[roominthecastle]

1) do u ship michael/eleanor 2) if yes pls share ur thoughts and feelings :))

*cracks knuckles* Just remember: you asked for this, anon.

1) Yes.

I am oh so predictable and this dynamic offers everything - literally everything - that gets me going, so I got going at once. Like act 1, scene 1,

“Hello, Eleanor. I am Michael and you are dead.”

A dapper amoral non-human puppetmaster becomes emotionally compromised as a kickass mortal woman keeps foiling his ridiculously meticulous plans, and they end up bonding over the confusing struggle of self-improvement, survival, & being messy benches who love dramaaa?

Honestly, they gave me no chance to even consider resisting this.

2) Oh boy. This is where we duck behind a read more bc length & GIFs

I should probably start by saying that as far as strict canon goes, for now, I only see solid evidence of the tightest, beautifulest friendship btw these two, but the potential for “more” is def there, as well, imo. I broship them on the show and ship them like mad in this nice little bubble of Could Be where I’m happy bc canon is generous w/ the fodder. That being said, the furthest I can see canon pushing this ‘ship is a bittersweet unrequited love area, sth like [ this post ] I reblogged the other day. No bitter Friendzoned™ bullshit bc Michael ain’t a gross-ass dick like that. Friendship is his most precious treasure like he kept the spoon Janet gave him and put it on display in his office. My heart almost gave out at that part. I think he felt lonely and isolated among his kind even before his solo project started going off the rails, forcing him to defect to the human side, so I’m sure he would never consider “friendship only” w/ Eleanor to be some second-rate outcome. (neither would I)

But he is only beginning to discover the various dimensions of human relationships, so his feelings are likely in flux and mixed. He might consider chaste romance friendship, too, since he has no previous experience to draw on whatsoever. I mean, feelings are v difficult to sort even w/ plenty experience as evidenced by the humans around him.

Eleanor is to Michael who/what Chidi is to her, imo. Every round of the Eleanor/Chidi dynamic is characterized by a rollercoaster of “is it platonic or is it romantic or both or neither or what the sweet fork is it?”, and I can imagine Michael going through a bit of that confusion himself as he gets more and more attached to Eleanor but w/o the pressure of “pick a label already and act on it”. A general feeling of attraction (not necessarily sexual) would be natural, esp for a being who is experiencing his first intense connection with someone who actively challenges, rewards, and punishes him in ways no other being has before and no human has ever dared before.

She takes him down a few notches, no question. Chidi is the teacher but Eleanor is the one pushing and pulling Michael along their rocky, scary, insane path of self-improvement, which, just like hers, starts out as an empty nuisance deal of self-preservation (“You get help but only if you take ethics lessons”) and turns into a genuine effort to become better. She insists on him taking these lessons and makes sure he “stays in school” despite the initial difficulties. Out of his 4 humans, she is the one he consistently looks to for emotional pointers, support, and validation.

The subtlest (and my most favorite) display of this is how he keeps half-turning back towards her when he pleads their case in front of Judge Gen.

She is his person who has faith in him when no one else does and reaches him when no one else can or want to. She is his anchor pulling him back whenever he drifts off too far, be it as a result of a massive existential/midlife crisis or venting frustrations in his old, cruel ways like tormenting Chidi:

He listens to her and tries to reciprocate even if it means breaking some fundamental rules of the afterlife or turning on his own kind or giving up his immortality or going behind the back of the All-Knowing Judge who can condemn anyone for eternal suffering with a snap of her fingers. This is the same kind of glitch Janet describes in 111 (aptly named “What’s My Motivation”): to act unpredictably and behave in ways that run counter to how you were programmed to behave. a.k.a. the “human error” a.k.a. LOVE

Eleanor just instinctively gets him in every sense of the word bc they are very similar, and while at first it causes alarm, discomfort, and tension for both of them, it transforms into friendship - sth that I believe has its origins in S1 when he is supposed to be faking everything. That day spent together having all kinds of fun has left some genuine positive marks on both, imo, despite both “participating” to cover an agenda.

This bond is now the kind of stuff that would need only a tiny, unexpected spark to ignite. I don’t think it will in ~that~ way on the show since Eleanor is focused elsewhere in that department atm & maybe forever, but the groundwork is def there, so I can imagine billions of excellent fic scenarios blooming from this + as I said somewhere above, a potential canon scenario where Michael harbors unrequited feelings but keeps silent bc it would be a secret he is ethically allowed - maybe even required - to keep. Again, it is one of the lessons that come up when Janet’s “glitching” and they consider breaking up Jason and Tahani as a solution: “It’s not permissible to ruin their happiness to save ourselves. … It’s okay to keep a secret as long as that secret isn’t harming anyone, and telling them that secret might cause harm.” Michael knows Eleanor needs Chidi to stay on course towards eternal happiness, and, given the group’s track record, telling her that he has feelings could cause confusion sufficient enough to derail everything and that’s not permissible. But this is pure speculation ofc.

Despite the circular narrative and reboots, nothing gained is wasted on this show, it only changes forms and feeds further development. For example, everything Michael pretends to feel and do in S1 he ends up feeling and doing for real in the first part of S2, then gradually gains a more thorough understanding of these actions and feelings in the second half via Chidi’s lessons and by watching/helping others deal with their problems. He fakes it till he makes it. He essentially mirrors Janet, the other non-human member of this group dynamic, who unexpectedly bonds with Jason and her behavior becomes erratic as a result and calms only when she understands what is going on and how to deal with it. Michael’s “demon programming” starts glitching, too, and Eleanor is right smack in the middle of that mess.

Janet “orbits” the “Jason-Tahani unit” w/ a link to Jason, Michael the Eleanor-Chidi one w/ a link to Eleanor, which forms the two interconnected triangles of the show - an “arrangement” further reinforced by the image of Janet and Michael glued to Jason’s and Eleanor’s monitoring thingy respectively at the end of S2.

He is the (recovering) devil on Eleanor’s shoulder sitting opposite to Chidi (also they are the only two guys who wear glasses in the afterlife??), but no matter how well they click and how much fun they have together, it’s Chidi whose presence needs to be tangible (800+ reboots proved that), not his, no matter how/what he feels or what he wants. Removing himself from the equation, sacrificing his own wants & needs, is the only way to ensure Eleanor & Co. have a shot at eternal happiness, so he literally pushes her away and advocates for a solution that involves them completely forgetting about him. It is the ultimate act of selfless love if you think about it, and it makes me feel A LOT.

Also just look at them when she sees he did not die and he sees she (and the rest of the gang, I know, but that’s not our focus here) has not been eternally damned yet bc OFC HE COMES BACK WITH ANOTHER IDEA + 369 BACKUP PLANS + CHEAT CODES bc this is the demon who literally tried a billion ways to sneak them into heaven and was plagued with “after sad” when he failed.

And then we have the scene where he just can’t help himself, breaks yet another rule, and sneaks down/up/idk to Earth to nudge his lost pal back on track and she ofc doesn’t remember him bc the Judge wiped her afterlife memories and he pretends to be her BARTENDER in STING’S DESERT ROSÉ (!!) and delights in her drunken ramblings - it is too much goodness like I’m this close to a Cheers rewatch and also just… THESE FOOLS OWN ME NOW

[numberplates4u-blog]

McLaren Senna review - the ultimate track driving experience

McLaren has taken a legendary name and produced what genuinely could become a legendary car The ultimate track driving experience, named after what many believe to be the best driver of all time, and road legal with it. Yes, McLaren has set itself a very tall task with its latest Ultimate Series car, the Senna. However, while we’re yet to test the Senna on the road, on the track it does indeed live up to all the hype that surrounds it, setting new standards for both its level of performance but also the intensity and involvement of the experience. > The world's greatest hypercars It’s natural to be drawn to the Senna’s performance statistics, because any car that can reach 62mph from a standing start in just 2.8-secs tends to preoccupy the mind. Given it’s (dry) weight of 1,198kg, and the peak power output of 789bhp, it’s hardly surprising that the Seena possesses truly ferocious performance. But while the Senna is defined by some spectacular numbers - try 800kg of downforce at 155mph for starters - it’s the cornering speeds and braking performance that really stick in the memory long after the drive has ended. We struggle to think of another car that feels so at home on the track, and can brake with the same power and stability.   Combine those attributes with a design that looks like nothing else - it looks much better ‘in the carbon’ than it ever does in photos - and it’s not hard to see why all 500 Sennas were sold out so quickly, despite the £750,000 price tag. Performance and 0-60 time With 659bhp/ton you won’t be surprised to hear that the Senna is fast. Just how fast is clearly betrayed by the numbers, with 62mph arriving in 2.8 seconds, 124mph in 6.8 seconds and 186mph after just 18.5 seconds, but in reality it doesn’t seem that much quicker than the already studenously rapid 720 S - perhaps additional performance becomes largely academic beyond a certain lofty point. In any case, the top speed is 211 mph, but such matters were hardly McLaren’s focus with this car. Image 3 of 24 Image 3 of 24 There’s certainly a lot more noise and drama to the way it accelerates, thanks to the Senna’s minimalistic cabin, reduced sound proofing material and dorsal air intake, which really screams as the V8 is wound up to high rpms. Nevertheless, the engine still sounds essentially the same as all the 3.8-litre and 4-litre McLaren V8s do - that is to say, hard-edged, aggressive, but not exactly melodic. One new facet to its character is the vibration felt: McLaren have fitted more rigid engine mounts, and at certain revs the V8 sends a fizzing tremor down the driver’s spine. Engine and Gearbox The M840TR version of McLaren’s V8 has been comprehensively revised over the engine in the 720 S for this, its most powerful iteration yet. Having passed through the roof-mounted snorkel intake, the ingested air then enters a new carbon fibre intake plenum that helps enable an even better throttle response. New cams and pistons, two instead of one fuel pumps and additional sensors ensure the V8 is capable of its increased outputs, which now stand at 789bhp at 7,250rpm and 590lb ft of torque from 5,500-6,700rpm. The spent gases leave via an inconel and titanium exhaust that exits on the top of the rear deck, with careful management of the airflow to ensure that it does not interrupt the workings of the rear wing. The exhaust is valved for the UK and many other markets, with the lower of the three pipes taking precedence at low revs and loads; in certain markets this additional silencer and pipe is removed, whereupon there are just two pipes exiting in the exhaust surround. Image 6 of 24 Image 6 of 24 Like all other McLarens, the Senna uses a twin-clutch gearbox with manual control via paddles behind the steering wheel. In Sport mode the ignition is cut for the change of gear, but while it may seem impossible to get a quicker swapping of cogs, in Track and Race settings an ‘Inertia Push’ technology means there is virtually no interruption at all during the gear changing process. Ride and Handling McLaren are at pains to stress that the Senna is compromised in terms of on-road refinement, to the benefit of its abilities on a track. After all, while it is full homologated for road use worldwide - something that sets it apart from numerous other track-specials in itself - it is still a track car first and foremost.   The Senna uses the latest development of the firm’s hydraulically interconnected double wishbone suspension setup, with the emphasis on track ability. It’s called RaceActive Chassis Control 2, with many of the suspension parts fashioned from aluminium to save weight. It’s the adaptive dampers that are connected via the hydraulic system, and when Race mode is selected they not only stiffen considerably, but the ride height is also lowered. There are some very clever algorithms at work making sense of a mind boggling amount of technology. We’ll be driving the Senna on the public road in due course, and will then update this review accordingly. For how the Senna drives on a racing circuit, click on the ‘Track’ part of this review. Image 9 of 24 Image 9 of 24 On track There’s only one way to effectively drive a McLaren Senna on a circuit and that’s to take a deep breath, and then go for it. While the special esp settings for Race mode mean you can go up to and over the limit and still not trigger any electronic intervention, the whole car implores to be driven hard - and the brakes demand heavy use right from the off. Despite the obvious intimidation factor of driving such a powerful, valuable and extreme car, it’s very soon clear that the Senna is entirely on the driver’s side. Everything is does is so precise, so exact in its response to your inputs, that the bond between man and machine has formed almost before the end of the pit lane is reached. The steering is without fault: beautifully weighted, with wonderful feedback and unerring precision, it allows you to place the Senna exactly where you want it to go. The chassis responds in kind, and as a driver you soon have the confidence that it won’t do anything unexpected. This is down to a number of factors, of course, from the bespoke Pirelli Trofeo R tyres to the downforce being generated, and the single-minded focus of the overall package. It’s not merely that the Senna grips the road so hard, but that it also feels adjustable to the driver in an exploitable way - using the brakes on entry to a corner has the car rotating inwards in a beautifully progressive manner, yet there’s even progressive oversteer on offer once the rapport has been fostered. High speed corners require rather more bravery, simply because the speeds start to get very significant indeed, and if you’re used to purely mechanical grip then the Senna’s ability to cling on to its chosen line simply leaves the brain scrambled. It takes time to trust that the Senna will indeed stick to the road, but a curve taken flat at nearly 150mph is something to be savoured once you’ve built up to it. And yet in spite of how brilliant it is at accelerating and cornering, it’s how it stops that leaves the biggest impression. The Senna uses a special form of carbon ceramic brake, and this combined with the assistance of the rear wing means that the car stops in almost cartoon fashion. We’ve driven the car at Silverstone and Estoril circuits now, and the approach to the first corner at the latter required a sudden deceleration from 180mph to around 40mph, all of which could be achieved - after screwing up plenty of courage - in less than 200 metres. In such circumstances, the technique is simply to hit the brake pedal as hard as possible - itself totally unnatural at such high speed - and then feel your insides being compressed against the front of your rib cage. For a road car, it is simply otherworldly. MPG and running Costs It’s tempting to be pithy and simply leave this section with the words ‘thirsty and expensive’. It’s no surprise that the Senna will drink lots of fuel: when driven hard and using all of its 789bhp it’s clearly pumping in an awful lot of super unleaded. Image 18 of 24 Image 18 of 24 As for running costs, these will hardly be a consideration for the Senna buyer, although the fact that the car uses plenty of technology and componentry shared with other McLarens should pay some dividend when compared to other completely bespoke racing machinery. Interior and tech The Senna’s interior has been developed solely as an environment in which to drive quickly. In doing so, it takes the staples of the modern McLaren - the laid back, race car-style driving position, fabulous panoramic view and driver-centric control layout - and evolves them with a sharper focus on track ergonomics. Climbing in is hardly graceful, the driver needing to vault the sill and fit through the gap enabled by the butterfly doors. Once in, the embrace of the Senna’s special seat - weighing just 8kg - holds you tightly, a sensation amplified by the harness as you draw the belts down tight. In your lower peripheral vision the optional glazed door area reveals the road surface, about to rush by very quickly indeed; it could hardly be any more exciting. Image 21 of 24 Image 21 of 24 The door release mechanisms, window switches and engine start button have been moved to a panel above your head, while the slender infotainment display is joined by the rotating instrument binacle first seen on the 720 S. The firm offers a McLaren Track Telemetry (MTT) system that runs via the infotainment screen, capturing all the necessary data from laps recorded and offering split times over different sectors of the lap. It can be combined with a camera system - front facing, in-car to the front and rear-mounted - that records every lap visually: both this and the MTT data can then be downloaded for further analysis. Further interior options range from weight saving and performance items, such as a fixed passenger seat and a drinks bottle system, to more luxurious items such as a ‘Touring’ specification seat and a Bowers and Wilkins hi-fi, the latter not necessarily quite in the spirit of the car… Design Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the Senna is its exterior design, but much of how it looks has been dictated by form following function. The key to the whole setup is the active element of the aerodynamics: the front aero blades and that preposterous, enormous rear wing. The former bleeds off downforce if required to maintain handling balance, while the later also rotates (through 25 degrees in as little as 0.3 seconds) to aide braking performance. All over the Senna, from the front, the sides, underneath and on the rear deck, air is massaged, manipulated and squeezed for the benefit of both cooling and aerodynamic performance. Image 23 of 24 Image 23 of 24 Like all McLarens, the Senna is built around the firm’s carbon fibre monocage tub, here in its third evolution. It incorporates a double walled rear structure, thereby negating the need for a seperate roll over bar. Carbon fibre is used extensively throughout the car: the rear wing weighs under 5kg in spite of its size and the loads it must support; the weight of all the Senna’s body panels combined is only 60kg, with the front wing sections weighing just 0.6kg.     27 Jun 2018

http://www.evo.co.uk/mclaren/senna

[privateplates4u]

McLaren Senna review - the ultimate track driving experience

McLaren has taken a legendary name and produced what genuinely could become a legendary car The ultimate track driving experience, named after what many believe to be the best driver of all time, and road legal with it. Yes, McLaren has set itself a very tall task with its latest Ultimate Series car, the Senna. However, while we’re yet to test the Senna on the road, on the track it does indeed live up to all the hype that surrounds it, setting new standards for both its level of performance but also the intensity and involvement of the experience. > The world's greatest hypercars It’s natural to be drawn to the Senna’s performance statistics, because any car that can reach 62mph from a standing start in just 2.8-secs tends to preoccupy the mind. Given it’s (dry) weight of 1,198kg, and the peak power output of 789bhp, it’s hardly surprising that the Seena possesses truly ferocious performance. But while the Senna is defined by some spectacular numbers - try 800kg of downforce at 155mph for starters - it’s the cornering speeds and braking performance that really stick in the memory long after the drive has ended. We struggle to think of another car that feels so at home on the track, and can brake with the same power and stability.   Combine those attributes with a design that looks like nothing else - it looks much better ‘in the carbon’ than it ever does in photos - and it’s not hard to see why all 500 Sennas were sold out so quickly, despite the £750,000 price tag. Performance and 0-60 time With 659bhp/ton you won’t be surprised to hear that the Senna is fast. Just how fast is clearly betrayed by the numbers, with 62mph arriving in 2.8 seconds, 124mph in 6.8 seconds and 186mph after just 18.5 seconds, but in reality it doesn’t seem that much quicker than the already studenously rapid 720 S - perhaps additional performance becomes largely academic beyond a certain lofty point. In any case, the top speed is 211 mph, but such matters were hardly McLaren’s focus with this car. Image 3 of 24 Image 3 of 24 There’s certainly a lot more noise and drama to the way it accelerates, thanks to the Senna’s minimalistic cabin, reduced sound proofing material and dorsal air intake, which really screams as the V8 is wound up to high rpms. Nevertheless, the engine still sounds essentially the same as all the 3.8-litre and 4-litre McLaren V8s do - that is to say, hard-edged, aggressive, but not exactly melodic. One new facet to its character is the vibration felt: McLaren have fitted more rigid engine mounts, and at certain revs the V8 sends a fizzing tremor down the driver’s spine. Engine and Gearbox The M840TR version of McLaren’s V8 has been comprehensively revised over the engine in the 720 S for this, its most powerful iteration yet. Having passed through the roof-mounted snorkel intake, the ingested air then enters a new carbon fibre intake plenum that helps enable an even better throttle response. New cams and pistons, two instead of one fuel pumps and additional sensors ensure the V8 is capable of its increased outputs, which now stand at 789bhp at 7,250rpm and 590lb ft of torque from 5,500-6,700rpm. The spent gases leave via an inconel and titanium exhaust that exits on the top of the rear deck, with careful management of the airflow to ensure that it does not interrupt the workings of the rear wing. The exhaust is valved for the UK and many other markets, with the lower of the three pipes taking precedence at low revs and loads; in certain markets this additional silencer and pipe is removed, whereupon there are just two pipes exiting in the exhaust surround. Image 6 of 24 Image 6 of 24 Like all other McLarens, the Senna uses a twin-clutch gearbox with manual control via paddles behind the steering wheel. In Sport mode the ignition is cut for the change of gear, but while it may seem impossible to get a quicker swapping of cogs, in Track and Race settings an ‘Inertia Push’ technology means there is virtually no interruption at all during the gear changing process. Ride and Handling McLaren are at pains to stress that the Senna is compromised in terms of on-road refinement, to the benefit of its abilities on a track. After all, while it is full homologated for road use worldwide - something that sets it apart from numerous other track-specials in itself - it is still a track car first and foremost.   The Senna uses the latest development of the firm’s hydraulically interconnected double wishbone suspension setup, with the emphasis on track ability. It’s called RaceActive Chassis Control 2, with many of the suspension parts fashioned from aluminium to save weight. It’s the adaptive dampers that are connected via the hydraulic system, and when Race mode is selected they not only stiffen considerably, but the ride height is also lowered. There are some very clever algorithms at work making sense of a mind boggling amount of technology. We’ll be driving the Senna on the public road in due course, and will then update this review accordingly. For how the Senna drives on a racing circuit, click on the ‘Track’ part of this review. Image 9 of 24 Image 9 of 24 On track There’s only one way to effectively drive a McLaren Senna on a circuit and that’s to take a deep breath, and then go for it. While the special esp settings for Race mode mean you can go up to and over the limit and still not trigger any electronic intervention, the whole car implores to be driven hard - and the brakes demand heavy use right from the off. Despite the obvious intimidation factor of driving such a powerful, valuable and extreme car, it’s very soon clear that the Senna is entirely on the driver’s side. Everything is does is so precise, so exact in its response to your inputs, that the bond between man and machine has formed almost before the end of the pit lane is reached. The steering is without fault: beautifully weighted, with wonderful feedback and unerring precision, it allows you to place the Senna exactly where you want it to go. The chassis responds in kind, and as a driver you soon have the confidence that it won’t do anything unexpected. This is down to a number of factors, of course, from the bespoke Pirelli Trofeo R tyres to the downforce being generated, and the single-minded focus of the overall package. It’s not merely that the Senna grips the road so hard, but that it also feels adjustable to the driver in an exploitable way - using the brakes on entry to a corner has the car rotating inwards in a beautifully progressive manner, yet there’s even progressive oversteer on offer once the rapport has been fostered. High speed corners require rather more bravery, simply because the speeds start to get very significant indeed, and if you’re used to purely mechanical grip then the Senna’s ability to cling on to its chosen line simply leaves the brain scrambled. It takes time to trust that the Senna will indeed stick to the road, but a curve taken flat at nearly 150mph is something to be savoured once you’ve built up to it. And yet in spite of how brilliant it is at accelerating and cornering, it’s how it stops that leaves the biggest impression. The Senna uses a special form of carbon ceramic brake, and this combined with the assistance of the rear wing means that the car stops in almost cartoon fashion. We’ve driven the car at Silverstone and Estoril circuits now, and the approach to the first corner at the latter required a sudden deceleration from 180mph to around 40mph, all of which could be achieved - after screwing up plenty of courage - in less than 200 metres. In such circumstances, the technique is simply to hit the brake pedal as hard as possible - itself totally unnatural at such high speed - and then feel your insides being compressed against the front of your rib cage. For a road car, it is simply otherworldly. MPG and running Costs It’s tempting to be pithy and simply leave this section with the words ‘thirsty and expensive’. It’s no surprise that the Senna will drink lots of fuel: when driven hard and using all of its 789bhp it’s clearly pumping in an awful lot of super unleaded. Image 18 of 24 Image 18 of 24 As for running costs, these will hardly be a consideration for the Senna buyer, although the fact that the car uses plenty of technology and componentry shared with other McLarens should pay some dividend when compared to other completely bespoke racing machinery. Interior and tech The Senna’s interior has been developed solely as an environment in which to drive quickly. In doing so, it takes the staples of the modern McLaren - the laid back, race car-style driving position, fabulous panoramic view and driver-centric control layout - and evolves them with a sharper focus on track ergonomics. Climbing in is hardly graceful, the driver needing to vault the sill and fit through the gap enabled by the butterfly doors. Once in, the embrace of the Senna’s special seat - weighing just 8kg - holds you tightly, a sensation amplified by the harness as you draw the belts down tight. In your lower peripheral vision the optional glazed door area reveals the road surface, about to rush by very quickly indeed; it could hardly be any more exciting. Image 21 of 24 Image 21 of 24 The door release mechanisms, window switches and engine start button have been moved to a panel above your head, while the slender infotainment display is joined by the rotating instrument binacle first seen on the 720 S. The firm offers a McLaren Track Telemetry (MTT) system that runs via the infotainment screen, capturing all the necessary data from laps recorded and offering split times over different sectors of the lap. It can be combined with a camera system - front facing, in-car to the front and rear-mounted - that records every lap visually: both this and the MTT data can then be downloaded for further analysis. Further interior options range from weight saving and performance items, such as a fixed passenger seat and a drinks bottle system, to more luxurious items such as a ‘Touring’ specification seat and a Bowers and Wilkins hi-fi, the latter not necessarily quite in the spirit of the car… Design Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the Senna is its exterior design, but much of how it looks has been dictated by form following function. The key to the whole setup is the active element of the aerodynamics: the front aero blades and that preposterous, enormous rear wing. The former bleeds off downforce if required to maintain handling balance, while the later also rotates (through 25 degrees in as little as 0.3 seconds) to aide braking performance. All over the Senna, from the front, the sides, underneath and on the rear deck, air is massaged, manipulated and squeezed for the benefit of both cooling and aerodynamic performance. Image 23 of 24 Image 23 of 24 Like all McLarens, the Senna is built around the firm’s carbon fibre monocage tub, here in its third evolution. It incorporates a double walled rear structure, thereby negating the need for a seperate roll over bar. Carbon fibre is used extensively throughout the car: the rear wing weighs under 5kg in spite of its size and the loads it must support; the weight of all the Senna’s body panels combined is only 60kg, with the front wing sections weighing just 0.6kg.     27 Jun 2018

http://www.evo.co.uk/mclaren/senna

[tribeworldarchive]

Religion and The Tribe Some facts about Religion Religion: Dictionary definition: system of belief in, worship of a supernatural power of god, system of faith and worship; human recognition of superhuman controlling power and esp. of a personal God entitled to obedience, effect of this on conduct. This is the worship system emerging from The Chosen, their level of worship of Zoot developing to hero/cult status…"Praise Zoot!` Religion ~ Is the human beings` relation to that which they regard as holy, sacred, spiritual, or divine. Religion is commonly regarded as consisting of a person`s relation to God or to gods or spirits. Worship is probably the most basic element of religion, but moral conduct, right belief, and participation in religious institutions are generally also fundamental elements of the religious life as practiced by believers and worshipers. The history of mankind has shown the pervasive influences of religion, and thus the study of religion, involving the attempt to understand its significance, its origins, and its myriad forms, has become increasingly important in modern times. Broadly speaking, the study of religion comprehends two aspects: 1) assembling information and 2) interpreting systematically the material gathered in order to elicit its meaning. The 19th century saw the rise of the study of religion in the modern sense, however, rarely has there been unanimity among scholars about the nature of the subject. This is partly because assumptions about the revealed nature of the Christian (or other) religion or assumptions about the falsity of religion become entangled with questions concerning the historical and other facts of religion. Thus, the subject has, throughout its history, contained elements of controversy. Nature and significance An acceptable definition of religion itself is difficult to attain. Attempts have been made to find an essential ingredient in all religions (eg, spiritual, experience; the contrast between the sacred and the profane; belief in gods or in God), so that an "essence" of religion can be described. The gods play a very subsidiary role, for example, in most phases of Buddhism. A more promising method would seem to be that of exhibiting aspects of religion that are typical of religions, though they may not be universal. The occurrence of the rituals of worship is typical, but there are cases, however, in which such rituals are not central. The fact that there is dispute over the possibility of finding an essence of religion means that there is likewise a problem about speaking of the study of religion or of religions. In practice, a religion is a particular system, or a set of systems, in which doctrines, myths, rituals, sentiments, institutions, and other similar elements are interconnected. Thus, in order to understand a given belief that occurs in such a system, it is necessary to look at its particular context--that is, other beliefs held in the system, rituals, and other aspects. Even if an record of types of belief and practices can be gathered--so as to provide a typical profile of what counts as religion--the lack of a tight definition means that there will always be a number of cases about which it is difficult to decide. Furthermore, some ideologies, such as Soviet Marxism, Maoism, and Fascism, may have analogies to religion. Though there is no consensus on this point among scholars, it is not unreasonable to hold that the boundary between traditional religions and modern ideologies represents one part of the religious field to be studied. Neutrality and subjectivity in the study of religion Subjectivity in the study of religion Religion can be said to be subjective in at least two senses. First, the practice of religion involves inner experiences and sentiments, such as feelings of a God guiding the life of the devotee. Here religion involves subjectivity in the sense of individual experience. Religion may also be thought to be subjective because the criteria by which its truth is decided are obscure and hard to come by, so that there is no obvious "objective" test in the way in which there is for a large range of speculative claims in the physical world. The follower of a faith is no doubt authoritative as to his/her own experience, but is not necessarily so in regard to the communal significance of the rites and institutions in which he/she participates. Thus, the matter of coming to understand the inner side of a religion involves a rationale between participant observation and interpersonal relationships with such followers of the other faith. Basic aims and methods Religions, being complex, have different aspects or dimensions. Thus, the major world religions typically possess doctrines, myths, ethical and social teachings, rituals, social institutions, and inner experiences and sentiments. These dimensions lie behind the creation of buildings, art, music, and other such extensions of basic beliefs and attitudes. But not all religions are like Christianity and Buddhism, for example, in possessing institutions such as the church and the sangha (Buddhist monastic order), which exist across national and cultural boundaries. In opposition to such institutionalised religions, tribal religion, for example, is not usually separately established but in effect is the religious side of communal life (or way of life) and is not treated as distinct from other things that go on in the community. How does this fit to The Tribe??? In the Tribal instance, Zoot is now being held as the Divine being and his notion of Power and Chaos is being acted out and maintained by The Chosen, as led by The Guardian. Life was fairly normal for Martin (Zoot) until the virus came to the fore, he was jealous of his older brother (Bray) who seemed to have everything he didn`t, a popular boy in school, captain of the football team, popular girl wanting him. Eventually Martin got a bit fed up, cracked under the pressure and so a new persona Zoot - "Power & Chaos" was created by Martin. When the virus wiped out all the adults he used his theory of `force` and power to manipulate the chaotic situation in society and try to rule the land with his followers - The Locos. After he died it was left up to Ebony to maintain this `power and chaos`. She was a strong girl, and manipulative too. She was trying to take out vengeance on the Mall Rats for killing Zoot. "Be a victim of your fear or make it work for you", The Guardian (having been a school mate of Martin and often picked on by him prior to the virus) had learnt this philosophy from Zoot. Therefore, now he wanted power and the way to get the power himself is by making others fear him….and so this is how Zoot`s system/doctrine is carried on today….and the Religion of Zoot is borne!!!

[cryptodictation]

Green Flag: electricity bill will not increase in April

(photo: Barbara Cabral / Esp. CB / D.A Press)

The tariff flag will remain green in April, so the electricity bill will have no extra charge next month. The decision of the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) was released this Friday (3/27).

The justification of the regulatory body is that, in March, the main hydroelectric reservoirs of the National Interconnected System (SIN) showed recovery of levels due to the volume of rainfall close to the historical pattern of the month. “Despite April being a month in which the transition between the wet and the dry period typically begins, the forecast for maintaining the favorable hydrological condition in the main basins of the SIN, indicating a scenario of continuity of the high participation of the hydroelectric plants in meeting the energy demand . ”

In addition, new energy consumption forecasts were considered, given the measures to combat the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country, with indications of a reduction in the energy load in April and May. “This perspective was reflected in the reduction in the price of energy in the short-term market (PLD) and costs related to hydrological risk (GSF). PLD and GSF are the two variables that determine the color of the flag to be triggered ”, explained Aneel.

Created by the agency, the system of tariff flags signals the real cost of the energy generated, enabling consumers to make good use of electricity. The operation of simple tariff flags: in green there is no extra charge; in yellow, the additional R $ 1.343 for every 100 kilowatts / hour (kWh) consumed; at red level 1, the increase of R $ 4,169 per 100 kWh and, at level 2, R $ 6,243, also for every 100 kWh consumed.

The post Green Flag: electricity bill will not increase in April appeared first on Cryptodictation.

from WordPress https://cryptodictation.com/2020/03/27/green-flag-electricity-bill-will-not-increase-in-april/

[privateplates4u]

McLaren Senna review - the ultimate track driving experience

McLaren has taken a legendary name and produced what genuinely could become a legendary car The ultimate track driving experience, named after what many believe to be the best driver of all time, and road legal with it. Yes, McLaren has set itself a very tall task with its latest Ultimate Series car, the Senna.However, while we’re yet to test the Senna on the road, on the track it does indeed live up to all the hype that surrounds it, setting new standards for both its level of performance but also the intensity and involvement of the experience.It’s natural to be drawn to the Senna’s performance statistics, because any car that can reach 62mph from a standing start in just 2.8-secs tends to preoccupy the mind. Given it’s (dry) weight of 1,198kg, and the peak power output of 789bhp, it’s hardly surprising that the Seena possesses truly ferocious performance.But while the Senna is defined by some spectacular numbers - try 800kg of downforce at 155mph for starters - it’s the cornering speeds and braking performance that really stick in the memory long after the drive has ended. We struggle to think of another car that feels so at home on the track, and can brake with the same power and stability.  Combine those attributes with a design that looks like nothing else - it looks much better ‘in the carbon’ than it ever does in photos - and it’s not hard to see why all 500 Sennas were sold out so quickly, despite the £750,000 price tag.Performance and 0-60mph time With 659bhp/ton you won’t be surprised to hear that the Senna is fast. Just how fast is clearly betrayed by the numbers, with 62mph arriving in 2.8 seconds, 124mph in 6.8 seconds and 186mph after just 18.5 seconds, but in reality it doesn’t seem that much quicker than the already studenously rapid 720 S - perhaps additional performance becomes largely academic beyond a certain lofty point. In any case, the top speed is 211 mph, but such matters were hardly McLaren’s focus with this car.There’s certainly a lot more noise and drama to the way it accelerates, thanks to the Senna’s minimalistic cabin, reduced sound proofing material and dorsal air intake, which really screams as the V8 is wound up to high rpms. Nevertheless, the engine still sounds essentially the same as all the 3.8-litre and 4-litre McLaren V8s do - that is to say, hard-edged, aggressive, but not exactly melodic. One new facet to its character is the vibration felt: McLaren have fitted more rigid engine mounts, and at certain revs the V8 sends a fizzing tremor down the driver’s spine.Engine and Gearbox The M840TR version of McLaren’s V8 has been comprehensively revised over the engine in the 720 S for this, its most powerful iteration yet. Having passed through the roof-mounted snorkel intake, the ingested air then enters a new carbon fibre intake plenum that helps enable an even better throttle response. New cams and pistons, two instead of one fuel pumps and additional sensors ensure the V8 is capable of its increased outputs, which now stand at 789bhp at 7,250rpm and 590lb ft of torque from 5,500-6,700rpm. The spent gases leave via an inconel and titanium exhaust that exits on the top of the rear deck, with careful management of the airflow to ensure that it does not interrupt the workings of the rear wing. The exhaust is valved for the UK and many other markets, with the lower of the three pipes taking precedence at low revs and loads; in certain markets this additional silencer and pipe is removed, whereupon there are just two pipes exiting in the exhaust surround.Like all other McLarens, the Senna uses a twin-clutch gearbox with manual control via paddles behind the steering wheel. In Sport mode the ignition is cut for the change of gear, but while it may seem impossible to get a quicker swapping of cogs, in Track and Race settings an ‘Inertia Push’ technology means there is virtually no interruption at all during the gear changing process.Ride and Handling McLaren are at pains to stress that the Senna is compromised in terms of on-road refinement, to the benefit of its abilities on a track. After all, while it is full homologated for road use worldwide - something that sets it apart from numerous other track-specials in itself - it is still a track car first and foremost.  The Senna uses the latest development of the firm’s hydraulically interconnected double wishbone suspension setup, with the emphasis on track ability. It’s called RaceActive Chassis Control 2, with many of the suspension parts fashioned from aluminium to save weight. It’s the adaptive dampers that are connected via the hydraulic system, and when Race mode is selected they not only stiffen considerably, but the ride height is also lowered. There are some very clever algorithms at work making sense of a mind boggling amount of technology.We’ll be driving the Senna on the public road in due course, and will then update this review accordingly. For how the Senna drives on a racing circuit, click on the ‘Track’ part of this review.On track There’s only one way to effectively drive a McLaren Senna on a circuit and that’s to take a deep breath, and then go for it. While the special esp settings for Race mode mean you can go up to and over the limit and still not trigger any electronic intervention, the whole car implores to be driven hard - and the brakes demand heavy use right from the off.Despite the obvious intimidation factor of driving such a powerful, valuable and extreme car, it’s very soon clear that the Senna is entirely on the driver’s side. Everything is does is so precise, so exact in its response to your inputs, that the bond between man and machine has formed almost before the end of the pit lane is reached. The steering is without fault: beautifully weighted, with wonderful feedback and unerring precision, it allows you to place the Senna exactly where you want it to go. The chassis responds in kind, and as a driver you soon have the confidence that it won’t do anything unexpected. This is down to a number of factors, of course, from the bespoke Pirelli Trofeo R tyres to the downforce being generated, and the single-minded focus of the overall package. It’s not merely that the Senna grips the road so hard, but that it also feels adjustable to the driver in an exploitable way - using the brakes on entry to a corner has the car rotating inwards in a beautifully progressive manner, yet there’s even progressive oversteer on offer once the rapport has been fostered.High speed corners require rather more bravery, simply because the speeds start to get very significant indeed, and if you’re used to purely mechanical grip then the Senna’s ability to cling on to its chosen line simply leaves the brain scrambled. It takes time to trust that the Senna will indeed stick to the road, but a curve taken flat at nearly 150mph is something to be savoured once you’ve built up to it. And yet in spite of how brilliant it is at accelerating and cornering, it’s how it stops that leaves the biggest impression. The Senna uses a special form of carbon ceramic brake, and this combined with the assistance of the rear wing means that the car stops in almost cartoon fashion. We’ve driven the car at Silverstone and Estoril circuits now, and the approach to the first corner at the latter required a sudden deceleration from 180mph to around 40mph, all of which could be achieved - after screwing up plenty of courage - in less than 200 metres. In such circumstances, the technique is simply to hit the brake pedal as hard as possible - itself totally unnatural at such high speed - and then feel your insides being compressed against the front of your rib cage. For a road car, it is simply otherworldly.MPG and Running Costs It’s tempting to be pithy and simply leave this section with the words ‘thirsty and expensive’. It’s no surprise that the Senna will drink lots of fuel: when driven hard and using all of its 789bhp it’s clearly pumping in an awful lot of super unleaded. As for running costs, these will hardly be a consideration for the Senna buyer, although the fact that the car uses plenty of technology and componentry shared with other McLarens should pay some dividend when compared to other completely bespoke racing machinery.Interior and tech The Senna’s interior has been developed solely as an environment in which to drive quickly. In doing so, it takes the staples of the modern McLaren - the laid back, race car-style driving position, fabulous panoramic view and driver-centric control layout - and evolves them with a sharper focus on track ergonomics. Climbing in is hardly graceful, the driver needing to vault the sill and fit through the gap enabled by the butterfly doors. Once in, the embrace of the Senna’s special seat - weighing just 8kg - holds you tightly, a sensation amplified by the harness as you draw the belts down tight. In your lower peripheral vision the optional glazed door area reveals the road surface, about to rush by very quickly indeed; it could hardly be any more exciting.The door release mechanisms, window switches and engine start button have been moved to a panel above your head, while the slender infotainment display is joined by the rotating instrument binacle first seen on the 720 S.The firm offers a McLaren Track Telemetry (MTT) system that runs via the infotainment screen, capturing all the necessary data from laps recorded and offering split times over different sectors of the lap. It can be combined with a camera system - front facing, in-car to the front and rear-mounted - that records every lap visually: both this and the MTT data can then be downloaded for further analysis. Further interior options range from weight saving and performance items, such as a fixed passenger seat and a drinks bottle system, to more luxurious items such as a ‘Touring’ specification seat and a Bowers and Wilkins hi-fi, the latter not necessarily quite in the spirit of the car…Design Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the Senna is its exterior design, but much of how it looks has been dictated by form following function. The key to the whole setup is the active element of the aerodynamics: the front aero blades and that preposterous, enormous rear wing. The former bleeds off downforce if required to maintain handling balance, while the later also rotates (through 25 degrees in as little as 0.3 seconds) to aide braking performance. All over the Senna, from the front, the sides, underneath and on the rear deck, air is massaged, manipulated and squeezed for the benefit of both cooling and aerodynamic performance.Like all McLarens, the Senna is built around the firm’s carbon fibre monocage tub, here in its third evolution. It incorporates a double walled rear structure, thereby negating the need for a seperate roll over bar. Carbon fibre is used extensively throughout the car: the rear wing weighs under 5kg in spite of its size and the loads it must support; the weight of all the Senna’s body panels combined is only 60kg, with the front wing sections weighing just 0.6kg.   26 Jun 2018

http://www.evo.co.uk/in-depth-reviews/21419/mclaren-senna-review-the-ultimate-track-driving-experience

[numberplates4u-blog]

McLaren Senna review - the ultimate track driving experience

McLaren has taken a legendary name and produced what genuinely could become a legendary car The ultimate track driving experience, named after what many believe to be the best driver of all time, and road legal with it. Yes, McLaren has set itself a very tall task with its latest Ultimate Series car, the Senna.However, while we’re yet to test the Senna on the road, on the track it does indeed live up to all the hype that surrounds it, setting new standards for both its level of performance but also the intensity and involvement of the experience.It’s natural to be drawn to the Senna’s performance statistics, because any car that can reach 62mph from a standing start in just 2.8-secs tends to preoccupy the mind. Given it’s (dry) weight of 1,198kg, and the peak power output of 789bhp, it’s hardly surprising that the Seena possesses truly ferocious performance.But while the Senna is defined by some spectacular numbers - try 800kg of downforce at 155mph for starters - it’s the cornering speeds and braking performance that really stick in the memory long after the drive has ended. We struggle to think of another car that feels so at home on the track, and can brake with the same power and stability.  Combine those attributes with a design that looks like nothing else - it looks much better ‘in the carbon’ than it ever does in photos - and it’s not hard to see why all 500 Sennas were sold out so quickly, despite the £750,000 price tag.Performance and 0-60mph time With 659bhp/ton you won’t be surprised to hear that the Senna is fast. Just how fast is clearly betrayed by the numbers, with 62mph arriving in 2.8 seconds, 124mph in 6.8 seconds and 186mph after just 18.5 seconds, but in reality it doesn’t seem that much quicker than the already studenously rapid 720 S - perhaps additional performance becomes largely academic beyond a certain lofty point. In any case, the top speed is 211 mph, but such matters were hardly McLaren’s focus with this car.There’s certainly a lot more noise and drama to the way it accelerates, thanks to the Senna’s minimalistic cabin, reduced sound proofing material and dorsal air intake, which really screams as the V8 is wound up to high rpms. Nevertheless, the engine still sounds essentially the same as all the 3.8-litre and 4-litre McLaren V8s do - that is to say, hard-edged, aggressive, but not exactly melodic. One new facet to its character is the vibration felt: McLaren have fitted more rigid engine mounts, and at certain revs the V8 sends a fizzing tremor down the driver’s spine.Engine and Gearbox The M840TR version of McLaren’s V8 has been comprehensively revised over the engine in the 720 S for this, its most powerful iteration yet. Having passed through the roof-mounted snorkel intake, the ingested air then enters a new carbon fibre intake plenum that helps enable an even better throttle response. New cams and pistons, two instead of one fuel pumps and additional sensors ensure the V8 is capable of its increased outputs, which now stand at 789bhp at 7,250rpm and 590lb ft of torque from 5,500-6,700rpm. The spent gases leave via an inconel and titanium exhaust that exits on the top of the rear deck, with careful management of the airflow to ensure that it does not interrupt the workings of the rear wing. The exhaust is valved for the UK and many other markets, with the lower of the three pipes taking precedence at low revs and loads; in certain markets this additional silencer and pipe is removed, whereupon there are just two pipes exiting in the exhaust surround.Like all other McLarens, the Senna uses a twin-clutch gearbox with manual control via paddles behind the steering wheel. In Sport mode the ignition is cut for the change of gear, but while it may seem impossible to get a quicker swapping of cogs, in Track and Race settings an ‘Inertia Push’ technology means there is virtually no interruption at all during the gear changing process.Ride and Handling McLaren are at pains to stress that the Senna is compromised in terms of on-road refinement, to the benefit of its abilities on a track. After all, while it is full homologated for road use worldwide - something that sets it apart from numerous other track-specials in itself - it is still a track car first and foremost.  The Senna uses the latest development of the firm’s hydraulically interconnected double wishbone suspension setup, with the emphasis on track ability. It’s called RaceActive Chassis Control 2, with many of the suspension parts fashioned from aluminium to save weight. It’s the adaptive dampers that are connected via the hydraulic system, and when Race mode is selected they not only stiffen considerably, but the ride height is also lowered. There are some very clever algorithms at work making sense of a mind boggling amount of technology.We’ll be driving the Senna on the public road in due course, and will then update this review accordingly. For how the Senna drives on a racing circuit, click on the ‘Track’ part of this review.On track There’s only one way to effectively drive a McLaren Senna on a circuit and that’s to take a deep breath, and then go for it. While the special esp settings for Race mode mean you can go up to and over the limit and still not trigger any electronic intervention, the whole car implores to be driven hard - and the brakes demand heavy use right from the off.Despite the obvious intimidation factor of driving such a powerful, valuable and extreme car, it’s very soon clear that the Senna is entirely on the driver’s side. Everything is does is so precise, so exact in its response to your inputs, that the bond between man and machine has formed almost before the end of the pit lane is reached. The steering is without fault: beautifully weighted, with wonderful feedback and unerring precision, it allows you to place the Senna exactly where you want it to go. The chassis responds in kind, and as a driver you soon have the confidence that it won’t do anything unexpected. This is down to a number of factors, of course, from the bespoke Pirelli Trofeo R tyres to the downforce being generated, and the single-minded focus of the overall package. It’s not merely that the Senna grips the road so hard, but that it also feels adjustable to the driver in an exploitable way - using the brakes on entry to a corner has the car rotating inwards in a beautifully progressive manner, yet there’s even progressive oversteer on offer once the rapport has been fostered.High speed corners require rather more bravery, simply because the speeds start to get very significant indeed, and if you’re used to purely mechanical grip then the Senna’s ability to cling on to its chosen line simply leaves the brain scrambled. It takes time to trust that the Senna will indeed stick to the road, but a curve taken flat at nearly 150mph is something to be savoured once you’ve built up to it. And yet in spite of how brilliant it is at accelerating and cornering, it’s how it stops that leaves the biggest impression. The Senna uses a special form of carbon ceramic brake, and this combined with the assistance of the rear wing means that the car stops in almost cartoon fashion. We’ve driven the car at Silverstone and Estoril circuits now, and the approach to the first corner at the latter required a sudden deceleration from 180mph to around 40mph, all of which could be achieved - after screwing up plenty of courage - in less than 200 metres. In such circumstances, the technique is simply to hit the brake pedal as hard as possible - itself totally unnatural at such high speed - and then feel your insides being compressed against the front of your rib cage. For a road car, it is simply otherworldly.MPG and Running Costs It’s tempting to be pithy and simply leave this section with the words ‘thirsty and expensive’. It’s no surprise that the Senna will drink lots of fuel: when driven hard and using all of its 789bhp it’s clearly pumping in an awful lot of super unleaded. As for running costs, these will hardly be a consideration for the Senna buyer, although the fact that the car uses plenty of technology and componentry shared with other McLarens should pay some dividend when compared to other completely bespoke racing machinery.Interior and tech The Senna’s interior has been developed solely as an environment in which to drive quickly. In doing so, it takes the staples of the modern McLaren - the laid back, race car-style driving position, fabulous panoramic view and driver-centric control layout - and evolves them with a sharper focus on track ergonomics. Climbing in is hardly graceful, the driver needing to vault the sill and fit through the gap enabled by the butterfly doors. Once in, the embrace of the Senna’s special seat - weighing just 8kg - holds you tightly, a sensation amplified by the harness as you draw the belts down tight. In your lower peripheral vision the optional glazed door area reveals the road surface, about to rush by very quickly indeed; it could hardly be any more exciting.The door release mechanisms, window switches and engine start button have been moved to a panel above your head, while the slender infotainment display is joined by the rotating instrument binacle first seen on the 720 S.The firm offers a McLaren Track Telemetry (MTT) system that runs via the infotainment screen, capturing all the necessary data from laps recorded and offering split times over different sectors of the lap. It can be combined with a camera system - front facing, in-car to the front and rear-mounted - that records every lap visually: both this and the MTT data can then be downloaded for further analysis. Further interior options range from weight saving and performance items, such as a fixed passenger seat and a drinks bottle system, to more luxurious items such as a ‘Touring’ specification seat and a Bowers and Wilkins hi-fi, the latter not necessarily quite in the spirit of the car…Design Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the Senna is its exterior design, but much of how it looks has been dictated by form following function. The key to the whole setup is the active element of the aerodynamics: the front aero blades and that preposterous, enormous rear wing. The former bleeds off downforce if required to maintain handling balance, while the later also rotates (through 25 degrees in as little as 0.3 seconds) to aide braking performance. All over the Senna, from the front, the sides, underneath and on the rear deck, air is massaged, manipulated and squeezed for the benefit of both cooling and aerodynamic performance.Like all McLarens, the Senna is built around the firm’s carbon fibre monocage tub, here in its third evolution. It incorporates a double walled rear structure, thereby negating the need for a seperate roll over bar. Carbon fibre is used extensively throughout the car: the rear wing weighs under 5kg in spite of its size and the loads it must support; the weight of all the Senna’s body panels combined is only 60kg, with the front wing sections weighing just 0.6kg.   26 Jun 2018

http://www.evo.co.uk/in-depth-reviews/21419/mclaren-senna-review-the-ultimate-track-driving-experience