#poor 3rd wheel max :')

[jollybone]

Dusk is a surprisingly good wingman for his Lieutenant and fellow Sergeant :)

Sgt. Maxwell 'Dusk' Dawson is my OC

[boxboxblog]

Driver Profiles: Alex Albon

Updated December 2024

Name: Alexander Albon Ansusinha

Age: 28

Nationality: Thai-British

Years in F1: 5 (Toro Rosso Early 2019, Red Bull July 2019-2020, Williams 2022-Present)

Number: 23

WDCs: N/A

Driving Style: Albon has a more smooth and gentle style compared to many F1 drivers, and is known for preferring cars with a strong front end as they allow him to make more precise movements. He is a very patient driver, and excels in tire management which allows him to use different strategies than other drivers. Albon also does well in high pressure situations, and keeps his cool where other may falter. The negative style of this driving is that he struggle in wheel-to-wheel fighting as he sometimes lacks aggression, and often is lacking in qualifying after not pushing the car hard enough.

History:

Albon was born into a racing family, with both his father and uncle being competitive racers. He was given his first kart when he was 7 years old and competed for the first time in 2005 at the age of 8, competing locally and winning his local Hoddesdon Championship. He would prove to be a naturally talented racer during his karting career, and have one of the most title winning stints in karting out of the current F1 drivers.

(Albon with other future F1 drivers, Lance Stroll, Nyck de Vries, and George Russell, during their karting days)

In 2006 Albon started racing in the cadet class, finishing 1st at the Kartmasters British Grand Prix. He also participated in the Super 1 National Honda Cadet Championship finishing 1st in 2006 and 2nd in 2007. In 2008 he moved up to the KF3 class where he stayed until 2010. During this time Albon won the Kartmasters British Grand Prix, Formula Kart Stars Championship, KF Winter Series, Super 1 National KF3 Championship, CIK-FIA World Cup, and CIK-FIA European Championship. In 2011 Albon graduated to KF1 placing 2nd in the WSK Euro Series and 2nd at the CIK-FIA World Championship.

(Albon holding one of his karting title trophies next to future teammate Max Verstappen)

He graduated to car racing in 2012, joining the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup Series, but unfortunately would have a very poor year, finishing in 38th place. His season was slightly better the next year, and he was able to achieve 22 points. His 2013 season was his best year in that series, as be finished 3rd in the championship. During his time in this series he also formed a relationship with the Red Bull Junior Team, joining in 2012 however that relationship would soon end.

(Albon during Formula Renault days)

in 2015 he switched to Euro F3 and finished 3rd overall, getting 3 wins in the process. His 2016 year in GP3 would be his best year yet, finishing 2nd after a tight battle with his teammate Charles Leclerc. 2017 was Albon's first foray into F2, and was a middling year for the driver. While he achieved multiple high points finishes, and two podiums, he also had some poor finishes and his season was interrupted by broken collar bone. He finished the F2 season at 10th in the championship.

(Albon on GP3 podium, with Charles Leclerc)

His second season in F2 was a lot more positive. He had joined a new team, and seemed to suit their car a lot better. This was the year he achieved his first F2 wins, winning in Silverstone, Sochi, and the Hungaroring. Unfortunately he has a series of retirements due to mechanical failure, which would drop him down to 3rd in the championship, behind George Russell and Lando Norris. His performance that year garnered attention from an F1 team, and while Albon had signed with a team in Formula E to race in the 2018-19, he broke contract and instead signed with F1's Toro Ross for the 2019 season, reigniting the Red Bull relationship.

(Albon on F2 podium in Sochi)

When Albon joined Toro Rosso he became the first Thai driver since the 1950s to compete in F1. His first year with Toro Rosso would be extremely positive, and although he did not achieve a lot of points, he pushed the car to its limits and was able to reach a 6th place race finish. It was his solid performance in the first half of the year that made Red Bull decide to remove Pierre Gasly from their seat half way through the season, and replace him with Albon.

(Albon in his Toro Rosso)

The second half of his rookie season was spent in a top 3 car, a big move for any rookie. He would have a positive rest of the season, scoring high points finishes regularly and achieving his career highest 4th place. He finished 8th in the championship, and while he was out scored by his teammate Max Verstappen, it was not by an aggressive margin. This is especially impressive when you consider that he was with a midfield team for the first half of the year.

2020 was a bad year for Albon. While he had a few high points finishes, and achieved his first podium at the Tuscan GP, he also often found himself scoring outside of the points. Multiple crashes dropped him to the back of the grid, and scrutiny from the press only seemed to make the driver perform even poorer. While he finished 7th in the championship, this was outweighed by his teammate getting 2nd. A lot of his struggles were attributed to the car being developed around Verstappen, who has a very unique driving style Albon said is "eye-wateringly sharp". After this season he was demoted to a test and reserve driver for 2021, and also worked as a coach for AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda.

(Albon after his first F1 podium)

Late 2021 it was announced that Albon had signed a contract with Williams for the 2022 season. This would mean the end to the official relationship between Red Bull and Albon, who had worked with them since 2012. However, Red Bull principal Christian Horner did say that their casual relationship was still intact and there was the possibility for a Red Bull return in the future.

His 2022 season with Williams was very bad, mostly because the team did not have the car to compete. He partnered his old F2 teammate Nicholas Latifi and out paced him for most of the season. His highest finished that year was 9th, and he scored 4 out of Williams 8 that year. He finished the year 19th in the standing, only ahead of Latifi. 2023 was a slightly more positive year, and he was partnered by Logan Sargent. He would finish at his highest with Williams that year, with a 6th place position. He once again out paced his teammate, and ended 13th in the championships, helping Williams achieve 6th in the constructers.

(Albon in his 2022 Williams)

In 2024 he continued with Williams, and it was later announced he had signed a multi-year deal with the team. It was another not so great year for Williams, and they finished 9th in the WCC, with Albon finishing 16th.

He is set to continue with Williams for the 2025 season, partnering Carlos Sainz.

Major Races:

2019 German GP - Still with Toro Rosso, this was the race that solidified him move to Red Bull, as he pulled an underperforming car up to a 6th place finish. This drive showed his ability to pull the best out of the car.

2019 Brazilain GP - Albon's first chance at a podium with Red Bull, an unfortunate incident with Lewis Hamilton denied him 3rd place. However, for a majority of the race he was performing extremely well and he most definitely would have achieved it if not for the crash. Contact with Hamilton would become a running theme for Albon during this year.

2020 Tuscan GP - Albon's first podium, the race showed his resilience and strength under pressure. This was a long awaited result, and a key moment in his career.

2022 Belgian GP - After a year out of F1, Albon came back and delivered a standout performance with Williams. He had a fantastically defensive drive, and showed his steady approach to racing, grabbing a much needed point for his team

2023 Canadian GP- His best result since returning to F1, Albon was able to pull an underperforming car up to a 7th place finish. His tire management skills allowed him to hold off much faster cars behind him, turning what could have been a difficult race into extremely positive results.

Cheers,

-B

[spectaculardistractions]

To Salvador Dalí Paris, 24 June 1929 Dear Salvador, I sent you a selection of photographs a few days ago, some pretty good ones, considering they are just stills from a particularly interesting bit of film. I’m very keen to know if you liked them. The film is doing well. Thanks to the machinations of the director of Studio 28, Mauclaire, the censors are not going to veto it and Mauclaire wants to hold on to it for a two-month screening in the Autumn saison. It will be shown at a luxury beach resort for three days this summer. The Count of Noailles has hired it for a screening at his palace on 2 July and he’s opening up his salon on the 3rd for me to invite anyone I like. Picasso wants to come. I’ve met all the surrealists and they are delightful especially Queneau, Prévert, Max Morise, Naville, they are all ‘stupendous’, and just the way we imagined them. On Saturday they borrowed the film to finish off a series Artaud and Roger Vitrac were organizing at Studio 28. The theatre was full. The (very mixed) audience reaction was marvellous. There was applause and whistling at the end. But they all howled and laughed in the right places. Afterwards they screened poor old Deslaw’s film, which was booed. You could hear people making fun of him, saying ‘this is so vanguard!’ It left me firmly convinced people can’t stand upside-down houses and car wheels passing by. I’ve been asked for some photographs, Variétés, Cahiers d’Art, Cahiers de Belgique, Bifur, Du cinéma, etc., etc., etc. I’ve reminded everyone I’ve been able to speak to about your central role in the conception of the film. As you know, the only people discussed in relation to films (so far at least) are the director or the actors. Auriol, Desnos, Brunius, etc., will mention both our names, so we’ll be presented as a team. The article by Montes is not bad: it’s a shame he mentioned the vile jota and the filthy Ebro. Every day I meet more people who want to be introduced to us. I shall buy and send on the jacket for your sister in the next two or three days, when I have the money. I’ll write to you on the day I send it so please let me know the best address. That son of a bitch Federico has not turned up. But his pederastic news has reached me. That wily fox, Concha Méndez, wrote to Vensssensss saying: ‘Federico was in London and he’s told me all about Buñuel and Dalí’s great failure. What a shame, poor boys.’ As you can see, the world is so full of whores they’ll be taking over soon. Alberti m’a fait chier and it’s time to do something about it. I’ll wait until we’re together to put together a plan of attack. I can’t wait to see you again under more favourable circumstances. I’ll be with you by mid-August. Plans: all of them, in particular BOOK, magazine and film. I’m sending some articles from Pour Vous, Intran and Ami du Peuple. The most important ones haven’t come out yet. Much love, Buñuel PS Hinojosa is writing the vilest little poems and is in charge at Litoral. The other day Zervos asked me: ‘Who do you know in Spain who could write a good article on Dalí?’ (that’s significant and is at least partly related to your growing reputation in Paris, intensified by the film). I asked Goemans, who agrees it should be done, he says Éric de Haulleville will write it. I’ll tell Zervos today. If you don’t like the idea, let me know. But I do think everyone has the right to their opinion and that one should stay very much on the side-lines. It would be very different if the piece were signed by you. The other day someone said to me: ‘If Breton knew you were giving your film to Vitrac and Artaud, he would be furious’. Of course, I feel personally closer to Breton (who is now surrounded by foul little surrealists like Thirion, Megret and friends), but the film will be shown wherever they pay for it. So, I’m giving it to Noailles, because he’s offering 1,000 francs. That said, I haven’t accepted his invitation to dine at the reception. Magritte liked some things in it a lot and was annoyed by others. The film does mock his painting a bit of course.

Jo Evans & Breixo Viejo, Luis Buñuel: A Life in Letters

[meaningofmotorsport]

Mid-Week Motorsport Headlines - 24th November 2021

F1

Vettel and Mick Schumacher will compete in the 2022 Race of Champions together, having already won it as a pair back in 2019. It will take place in Sweden in February of next year, where the German team will surely be one of the favourites.

The FIA had another difficult weekend at Qatar, with them being worked hard even before the track action started. I have to say the amount of time it took once again for the stewards to come to a decision about the right to review was poor. I still believe that it deserved more action at the time, but Max didn’t deserve to be put behind Bottas.

As for the scenes at the end of qualifying, it was a poorly managed situation at the time, why did the FIA say that track was clear to the teams, when there was clearly a car stopped on track? The ‘rogue marshal’ was right to put a flag out, and the FIA need to learn from it. Should the drivers have been penalised given the confusion? Probably, as they have to be aware of the flags too, and can’t just rely on lighting boards and their steering wheel!

Formula E

Askew will join Dennis at Andretti for 2022, with new title sponsor Avalanche. That pairing could be very formidable for the coming season, as Oliver has bags of talent, and we know how Dennis did in his rookie year!

MotoGP

The series has pledged to be running on fully sustainable fuels by 2027, with this increasing from 2024 until then. As the world’s leading motorcycle racing series, this was a path they had to take, not only to keep manufacturers happy, but to please parts of the fan base too. Much like for F1, I believe that road relevance is key to a sustainable series, especially one filled by big companies.

Remy Gardner was surprised with how good the KTM is, saying he ‘expected worse’, and will hope that the team can be more competitive in 2022. Vinales isn’t happy yet with the Aprilia, saying it isn’t quite his yet, as he wants to ‘improve the feeling’ with the bike. Also, Puig says that the Honda is still far from ready for next year, but says they are moving in the right way.

Bagnaia ended the test fastest, already happy with the 2022 bike, and seemingly can’t wait for the season to start again. Quartararo and Rins were 2nd and 3rd, ahead of Pol Espargaro. KTM was still quite a way down on the timesheets, with Binder best of the lot in 11th.

-M

Thank you very much for reading this article! To keep up to date with when they go out, and to see my reactions to races and other news, follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/MeaningofMotor1

Also, if you want to support me, I have a Patreon Page at: https://www.patreon.com/meaningofmotorsport

[notreblogs]

日本グランプリ🏁

uh, lights out desu. An amazingly clean start of the race tbh, Vettel starting from 9th because Ferrari fucked up on the late-rainy Q3, but advanced a few positions on the start. Same with poor Daniel Ricciardo, who started WAAY back... anyway a few laps later Kevin Magnussen gets a big puncture and they bring out the Safety Car til they cleaned it up but nothing happened during that period.

Then uh... Sebastian Vettel sees a gap somewhere but Verstappen closes onto him... thus Vettel drops to 18th.

Then for a good while nothing happened. Kimi Raikkonen pits first, but the gaps where huge. Nico Hulkenberg retires at some point, I think he had touched wheels with someone before or had an engine issue idfk. Also boy Charles Leclerc had some tough luck too since his car had an issue and ran off road, but he managed to park it safely later, only causing a minimal Virtual Safety Car period. In which, of course, the Mercs faked a pitstop but that aint news.

There were some intense battles nearing the end for 2nd place between Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen, who managed to get as close as half-a-second close to him. He even went off the track out of the pressure alone lol. But yeah he didn’t make it in the end, because the mercs are absolute unbeatable beasts on the straights.

And uhhh... that was it? Checkered flag? Hamilton wins? Hamilton wins... then there’s Bottas second, and Verstappen third.

At the very least Sebastian Vettel managed to snatch the fastest lap of the race at the very last minute, so Hamilton didn’t get the grand chelem this time round (Pole position + Lead the whole race + Fastest lap of the race).

By the way, Daniel Ricciardo was voted driver of the day. Well deserved, he did a good race catching up to 4th and it’s been a pretty frustrating weekends for him lately.

So whelp... looks like the championship is almost settled by now (´ ` )

At this point, only a miracle could give Ferrari even the slightest hope at the championship, like a back-to-back DNF from Hamilton in the following two races or something, but that ain’t happening. It’s been an absolute NIGHTMARE this second half of the season for ferrari. Only Spa Francorchamps was the exception, the rest of it, a wreck.

*sigh* but oh well, the show must go on. It’s probably safe to assume Hamilton is gonna get the championship, the only question is if when he’s gonna get it.

Two weeks from now, Formula 1 comes to America, I’ll have to do the math later but, I think if Hamilton wins that race, and Vettel doesn’t finish 3rd or better, it’s over and Hamilton wins the WDC. Ok so, if Hamilton outscores Vettel by 8 points, he wins the championship. So... if Hamilton wins and Vettel doesn’t get 2nd place, that’s it man, game over man, game over.

b ut  who knows anything can happen in formula one and it usually does.

stay tuned !

I’M OFF TO BED BABY ITS 4 AM

[kit757]

Nextdoor and all it's Glory

Heads up slightly political.....

So I posted this to Nextdoor and thought it was a pretty good rant and wanted to share. First some back story. Some one inquired as to why a restaurant didn't open that night. The answer was that their food and employees didn't show up. To me this means that they either A. Don't pay their employees enough to show up, or B. They did not pay the food people enough money to bring them food. But alas rural GA did not feel this way, oh no. The reason this happened, is of course because the government is paying people unemployment to sit at home.

The post that started it all.....

Susan- What happened to Bone Grill? Went there this evening Saturday 5/29 and there’s paper on the doors and parking lot empty ! It’s Memorial Day weekend

Karen- Sadly, businesses can’t survive when our government pays people more to stay at home than to work.

Other Karen- you got that right!!!

Me- With all due respect. That is 100% not true. You know the max unemployment in GA is $365 a week right? The min is $55 a week. No ones getting rich. People are just leaving the hospitality industry and going to other jobs that pay them more and they don’t have to deal with the general public who were awful to them during the pandemic. It has been proven, in multiple studies, that if you pay people a livable wage, you will get employees and still be a profitable restaurant. Sounds like this restaurant just needs to get with the times. It’s their own darn fault if they refuse to pay a livable wage that they can’t get people.

Karen the 3rd- Yeah but with the extra $300 from the pandemic it's $665 to stay home. Thankfully Kemp is putting an end to that.

Me-Dude the average cost of rent in GA is $1,500 a month with no utilities included. So if you are single and living on your own, sure $665 a week is a bare min in order to feed and house yourself. Now picture if this individual has a kid? Not enough money at all. So before you praise Kemp for taking away money that’s not even his, think about that kid that’s now going to be starving while you feel all high and mighty about taking away Federal funds.

Karen the 3rd- If your unemployed then you are getting food stamps. Too many places need employees. Work two jobs if you have to ( I do) not the tax payers responsibility to support all these people who would rather sit home and make over $600 a week.

Me- You don’t automatically get food stamps if you are on unemployment that’s 100% false. Also, why should you have to work 2 jobs? You shouldn’t have to! You should be able, in American, to work 1 job 40hrs a week and make enough money to live and thrive. This “work till you drop” mentality is killing people! This generation living right now is the first that is expected to have a shorter lifespan than the previous ones and it is linked to (well lack of health care but that a whole different rant) but literally having to work yourself to death to live.

Karen the 3rd and I then got into a life expectancy debate that she regrettably won. I was 100% sure I was right on it decreasing for millennials but alas could not find the data to go along with it.

Me-based on that data you are totally right! I miss quoted my facts and I’m sorry. I had heard it on the news and not done any further research and I am glad you proved me false. However, where I think that come from are some additional factual data that the American life expectancy is the lowest in almost all first world nations. It’s due to a lot of awful things but poverty and income inequality is a HUGE reason.

Karen the 3rd- posting research here that would indicate the decrease is due to drug addiction/suicide, not work. Also, despite these factors the life expectancy is significantly higher than prior generations.

Me-Well this says over working causes Suicide. So we can chicken and egg death or just agree it’s all messed up and there should be a solution. :)

Now on to our lovely John. Not quite a Karen but still has some wild posts on other threads.

John-No doubt life can be tough. I hate there are people who can’t live a good life. However, I always am curious as to how much money people think they need monthly? How does the average person want to handle and spend on monthly premiums for their healthcare? Do people think entry level jobs should provide a good lifestyle? What are people willing to sacrifice as they work entry level jobs.. in hopes of attaining a better job and future? Anything? My parents were poor and did not have a high school education. On Thursday nights.. they ate no supper. They saw that I ate Thursday supper. Why? Because my Dad was paid on Friday at the end of the day. They had no money for themselves by Thursday night. I detest a situation where children go without. I’m lucky my parents taught me the value of a $ and taught me to not live beyond my means. I hope everyone who wants to work and to improve their lot in life are successful. I have a tremendous amount of respect for people who work hard. Those who don’t work hard and expect the government to take care of them.. I don’t respect that CHOICE. To all the workers out there.. 🖖Live long and prosper.

And now for what I think is my mike drop moment!

Me-First I am so sorry your family had those struggles with you growing up. In a first world nation (or really anywhere in an ideal world) that should never happen. As for what the min income should be, models can be found online for each state documenting what that should look like. I don’t need to remake the wheel here. :) Some go as low as $33,000 up to $70,000 depending on the area. (GA min wage right now is at $15,080 a year at 40hrs a week) My point is we should strive to be better as a country! When did we start accepting the bare min standard of living with minimal pay and minimal social services? Why can’t we standardize a 40hr well paid work week as the standard? Think of what that would allow people to do and how that would change GA? People able to spend time with their kids and teach them=less crime. People able to take a break for mental and physical health= longer life and less healthcare costs. The benefits wouldn’t end there.

The human default isn’t to be lazy. And to default to that being everyone’s answer as to why we should cut off unemployment because people don’t want to work in crappy minimum wage service jobs is a disservice to humanity as a whole. People need to have some compassion for other humans, which has been sorely lacking in America recently.

Barry-Food wasn’t good last time we were there, haven’t been back...

You had forgotten how this all started, didn't you! lol

[mobileautorepairpros]

Road Tests: 2018 Ford Expedition

Vital Statistics

Engine: 3.5 liter

Horsepower: 400

Torque: 480 lb-ft.

EPA: 17 mpg city / 22 mpg highway

Energy Impact: 17.3 barrels of oil/yr

CO2 Emissions: 7.7 tons/yr

With the reborn Explorer and a host of other uni-body crossovers in their lineup, it’s easy to forget that Ford still make a big body-on-frame SUV…the Expedition. It’s been around for three generations now, and an all-new fourth gen Expedition delivers the biggest change yet, joining the F150 with an all-aluminum body. So, let’s see if lighter is righter. 

Even in a utility world gone crossover, there are still plenty of people that need a big, truck-based SUV like this 2018 Ford Expedition. But, we’ve covered all of that before. So, what improvements does this all-new Expedition offer the power-hungry, trailer-towing, family-hauling utility buyer?

Well for starters, not only is styling more modern; but like the F150 it shares its basic full frame design with, body panels are now made of aluminum. That helps to shave off about 300-lbs. of weight.  

But rather than with the F-150, the face of the full-size Expedition is more akin to the mid-size Explorer; while body sides are not quite as rounded as before, with a less obvious greenhouse. Indeed, from a distance, it appears very similar to its biggest competitor, the segment dominating Chevrolet Tahoe.

Expedition wheelbase is 122.5-inches, about 3½ more than before. And yes, a longer wheelbase Suburban fighter is available as well, at 131.6-inches, now known as the Expedition MAX.  

Cargo capacity is up; now 20.9 cubic-ft. behind the standard 3rd row, 63.6 behind the 2nd, and 104.6 with all seats folded. Perfect for late night Walmart runs. 7 or 8 passenger seating is available, with 2nd row getting a new tip-and-slide function.

Thanks to the longer wheelbase, space is more plentiful all around, beating Tahoe in second row legroom by over 2 1/2 inches. There are ample options for plugging in, and you can even live stream satellite or cable TV to the entertainment system.  

Platinum trim is tops for now, with materials fitting the name. But the bulk of volume will be made up by mid-level Limited; which includes a power folding 3rd row, heated seats for 1st and 2nd rows, as well as a heated steering wheel.

Gauges are very similar to the F150’s with a mix of analog with virtual gauges, along with a wide, configurable TFT display. 

Expedition power still comes from a 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost twin-turbo. But, it’s the F150’s latest variants. Standard output is 375 horsepower, a gain of 10, with 470 lb-ft of torque. Our Platinum trimmed beast however gains 35 horses to 400 even, with torque at 480.

Attached, is Ford and GM’s joint venture 10-speed automatic transmission; which allows for better power at launch, as well as lower cruising RPM on the high end, for improved efficiency. It’s one of the best modern automatics we’ve sampled; finding the right gear quickly without searching around like most rival’s 9-speeds we’ve driven. 

Maximum towing capacity is 9,300-lbs., significantly more than the Tahoe’s 8,600; and by far best-in-class. The F150’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist is available as well. 

The optional 4-wheel drive system comes with an updated version of Ford’s Terrain management system with up to 7-different drive modes, for helping you through just about any situation you may find yourself in. 

There’s also an available FX4 Off-Road Package. And while it isn’t quite Raptor-spec, you do get an automatic limited-slip rear, off road shocks, 7-skid plates, and 18-inch wheels with A/Ts, for when you leave the trailer behind and venture further off the beaten path.

The independent front suspension is virtually identical to the F150’s, while in back there’s an updated version of the outgoing Expedition’s multi-link setup rather than a solid axle. 

Ford has gone to great lengths to quiet the interior down, and it is indeed very calm inside; and without a doubt, road manners have improved greatly thanks to continuously controlled damping. But despite the weight loss and myriad of updates, it’s still hard to disguise the fact that this is a very big truck-like vehicle, and continues to ride and drive like a one.

And while there are certainly a few people out there that prefer that in their utility; the fact that very few body-on-frame SUVs remain, while crossovers have taken over the segment, would suggest that the majority of people don’t. 

Thanks to that 10-speed automatic, Government Fuel Economy Ratings for a 4X4 Expedition are 17-City, 22-Highway, and 19-Combined; that’s up from 17-Combined last year. It still has a poor Energy Impact Score though, at 17.3-barrels of annual oil consumption with CO2 emissions of 7.7-tons. 

There’s no way around it, you’ve got to pay to play in this segment. Pricing starts at $52,890. Adding 4-wheel-drive varies with trim level, but adds about $3,000 more. So, you’re looking at around $75,000 for top Platinum trim, even more if you opt for the Lincoln Navigator variants. 

So for 2018, the highly-evolved Ford Expedition improves in every possible way; whether you’re talking capability, interior space, fuel economy, and certainly style. Ford fans will love what they see, and no doubt this Expedition will create a few more fanatics for the brand as well.

from MotorWeek Entries http://ift.tt/2lTYjWM via IFTTT

[rossl32123]

Overcast Clouds, 24°C

Port Stephens NSW 2319, Australia

Sea Whisper racing? Yes, I decided I wanted to do some thing interesting with the boat this summer, so I enterred in the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour boat race run by the RMYC. I knew I was going to need a crew, so I posted to friends and family on Facebook, and ended up with 3 other mates keen to go along, but not much in the way of experience at all. Kevin has always had boats, mainly for fishing. Hugh and Adam are mates through the RFS, and know very little about boats and sailing. So I set about organising some training. It was impossible to get a day when any more than one at a time could attend, so I ran two separate induction days, Kevin missing out because he lives in Coffs Harbour. I wasnt too worried about that because I think he just wanted to bum a ride home after Xmas with his family down here), and I knew he would be OK at sea provided he had a rod in his hand. The inductions went very well, I had two keen sailors in the making. What was going to be hard I suspected was the paper work. its a poor excuse I know but I couldn't access the race web site on my phone, it was impossible to log into it because my phone screen wasn't big enough. So I didn't get onto the paperwork side of registration, and there were things that had to be done, like putting the crew through a Safety at Sea course, getting category 3+ certification, being measured for one or the other racing classes, etc etc. So I had to withdraw my entry. But my crew were still keen to do the race, just not officially. Then I lost two of my crew! One to a bad back, and the other to the lure of work bonuses over the holiday period. So it was just Adam and me. Race day came and we made a leasurely start across our own personal start line, winds were good, albeit from dead on the nose, and we plugged our way out through Broken Bay. We weren't trying too hard, taking a speedy 60° tack, as opposed to a slower 45°, and as a consequence the landscape slipped by exceedingly slowly. Avoca Beach just would not go away at one stage. Adam struggled a bit with the pace of it. We saw the race fleet exit Pittwater not long after we had. They were keeping much closer to the coast, and taking much tighter lines into wind. I'd like to be able to say that we let them go, but the truth is, we were never going to be competitive. They were all gone before night fell. So we sailed on, lunchtime came and went, although Avoca Beach didn't. Then I thought I'd try and prepare some wraps. Cutting spring onions with the boat on a lean is interesting. There was plenty of leftover Xmas ham to use up, although curiously it's still left over! Finally darkness descended and we found ourselves off Long Jetty, still tacking, still with a long way to go. It was a late evening meal, I had managed to get my speciality into the oven about 8 o'clock, so it wasn't ready until 9pm. Adam informed me that he was usually starving by 6pm, anyway, slow cooked lamb with assorted vegetables cooked in the camp oven. Unfortunately, it took me too long to get it out of the oven and onto the plates and I exceeded my safe time below decks. Another first, my first chunder off my own boat! At least it left more room for dinner. We set watches to 2hrs max, I took 10-12, 2-4 etc. Just before midnight I got Adam up early, as a coal ship had turned onto our track and was gaining on us, but he was just lining up in the roadstead to anchor, so I went below. We plugged on, finally clearing the last of the coal ships about sunrise, but now we were right in their path as they came and went from Newcastle, so we had to keep our eyes open. We plugged along Stockton Beach, we could see all the fishermen and four wheel drives plying the sea and sands, and as we neared the end of the beach we could see the lighthouse on Stephens Island slowly getting closer, but the wind was also slowly rising, so we had to lose the genoa and put a reef in the mainsail. This is always unfortunate with Sea Whisper because that one sail means the loss of about 2 kts through the water, and leads to considerable wallowing and leeway. We were forced to revise our ETA for Nelson Bay 3 times as the lighthouse just didn't seem to be getting any closer. I've found the only thing that helps in this situation is to use the motor to help reduce the leeway, that seems to also help bear up into the wind a bit more, but it's still all very slow work. Finally we got around the last of the foul ground off the light, and we could ease the sheets, get the genoa out again and get some action happening. What a long trip, 36 hours of tacking, and 5min of reaching, and even then the tide was running out at a good 2kts. We were pretty done in, and the forcast was for another two days of the same! Adam organised a berth in the main marina, the only thing left to do was find it and get into it. It was dark when we made the entrance. Fortunately our pen was at the end of the finger, only required a 150° left turn to get in. Unfortunately I cut the corner and we ran out of room to make the turn. Fortunately people appeared out of nowhere (actually they appeared out of the boats in the surrounding pens) to help, and with lots of varying forms of advice we got in. Phew. It was tight. We attended to 1st, 2nd and 3rd orders of business, then headed out for tea. We should have done that first, everything except Woollies and the pub was shut by the time we were presentable. So we bought some salmon, went back to the boat and Adam cooked a fine supper. Late again, sorry mate. Next day Adam decided to jump ship, the marina manager decided our oil slick was insignificant, I decided to stay another night and the weather decided to throw in a 30+ day. I had a few things to do onboard, but I quickly lost interest in drying wet bed sheets and swabbing floors etc, so I waltzed off for a walk, to strike up a perspective on the last couple of days at sea. I was dissappointed I have to admit. The overriding feeling I had was that we hadn't made our objective, it was hard work tacking non stop for 36hrs, and I didn't want to do any more of it. Particularly if the wind was going to be less than 5kts, or more than 15. That came as a bit of a surprise. How would I manage a week of it? Or a month? And on my own? I have consoled myself that these northeastern winds can be hugely advantagious going home. And I'm not racing, I can just stay put if I have to. However, I was still hoping to get to Coffs, there was a southerly forecast for the weekend, then back to the northeast. I'd wait and see how it panned out. The next day the marina manager decided I was out, someone had complained about my oil slick! About a week previous I had sprayed my anchor winch motor with about half a can of corrosion inhibitor, and it had run off down through the chain locker and was dripping out of the drain hole causing an embarrassing slick around my boat and off down the finger. Oh well, I couldn't afford another night anyway, not at $144pn, so I made ready to leave. Before going I made a visit to the chandlers, I needed another pump for that gearbox cooler. So far it's chewed up three Rule in line pumps, time for a change. I'd fit it when I found a spot to anchor. Leaving the marina proved surprisingly easier than getting in, it just took a bit of a shove of the stern, hop aboard and engage gear and I was out of there. Nothing like the drama of getting in, no crowds of well wishers, no streamers. I had my eye on a little spot called Fame Cove. When I motored in it was all but empty, only three other vessels were moored and there were courtesy moorings to spare. Perfect. While I worked on my pump, the oil slick from the leaky tank in the RIB, and the beer in the galley fridge, about another 10 boats turned up! Oh well. By about 6pm I was sound asleep anyway. There was a huge achievement for this day that I should mention, I managed to get the water maker operational, then immediately pickled it again. I got a kick out of that, just knowing that it is working, and I can make water is huge. Next thing is to look at the dive compressor. As I write this I'm overdue on my 24hr mooring, but it's NYE and I have had a few G&T's. Who's counting anyway? Today I applied some silicon paste to the rubbers on the forward two hatches, hopefully that might fix the leaking issue. I got the RIB ready to launch yesterday, but haven't as yet. I need to use the loo and do some shopping, but maybe it can wait another day. The loo issue is still unresolved, I have tried to figure out what is going on with the holding tank, I know there is liquid in there because I filled it with water and put some vegetable dye in it, looking to see if it was leaking, but when I last refueled I tried to pump it out again, and - nothing. So I'm hoping I don't have to use it in an emergency. Checking on the weather today was less than exciting, the southerly predicted was for strong winds kicking in about midnight, but swinging back to northeast before the end of the day. I'm going to need more than 12hrs of wind NOT out of the NE sector to make it to Coffs. Consequently I didn't go. So, NYE, nearly a year with the Sea Whisper. What a change to my life this last year has been. Bring on 2018!

Powered by Journey Diary.

[xottzot]

2017-10(OCT)-15th--Sunday--(later-hell here re-established almost completely AGAIN).

2017-10(OCT)-15th--Sunday--(later-hell here re-established almost completely AGAIN).

Hell has almost re-established here completely AGAIN.

Events and things that occurred around a year ago (AND 2 YEARS IN SUCCESSION) have occured AGAIN.

And the criminals, both aboriginal and other have reasserted themselves.

In the afternoon, not long after noon, a vehicle tore out of (one of the criminal aboriginal households?) and spun it's wheels and tyres immensely on the road at the end of Kalara Way street, and which resulted in a huge amount of noise and a massive amount of burnt tyre smoke thick enough to completely obscure the vehicle. Then it turned left and took off along Clayton Street.

The thick smoke wafted all across and into the criminal aboriginal 6 Kalara Way street, and the aboriginals all about in Kalara Way street were all cheering and carrying on as if it was all great fun.

Criminal aboriginals from Kalara Way street numbers 3, 5 and 7 all began coming out a LOT and entering each others place as the whims took them. - As I said, they were carrying on as if they were out of control and almost as if it was a party atmosphere.

Not long afterwards, probably and hour or so later, as abos started wandering all over the streets and congregating at the end of Kalara Way street in Koongamia, Western Australia, in and out and across the roads and ON the roads, from the aboriginal CRIMINAL HOUSEHOLDS, several Western Australian POLICE vehicles arrived with several POLICE officers.

They all pulled up at 6 Kalara Way street.

2 vehicles were marked Police vehicles with uniformed officers, and the 3rd was an unmarked Police vehicle with plainclothes Police. They all pulled up outside 6 Kalara Way street and the police officers were around and in there. AND the Police were around the other aboriginal criminal households accross the road from there at numbers 3 and 5 which are all together with number 5 and make up that section of overt aboriginal criminal ghetto area.

HOWEVER....despite aboriginals wandering all about on pushbikes without wearing helmets (which is the LAW), all around on the roads right in front of and around Police, NOT one of those was at all pulled up for any of that. - Now tell yourself that the next time YOU are pulled up by Police for not wearing a bicycle helmet which is the law here in Western Australia, and YOU try to get out of any fine. YOU will NOT succeed unless you are a criminal aboriginal, which automatically makes you totally exempt from all LAWS.

The Police were all about on foot amongst the several aboriginal criminal households, but nothing seemed to be going on much.

An ambulance also came into the area. I dunno what that was about.

To the criminal aboriginals it was almost all a festive event going on.

The Police vehicles hung around for around an hour or more in total. Sometimes they went away and returned, and at other times they were 'cruising' around.

What was also VERY overt was that the criminal aboriginal toddlers who normally run around ON the roads were (whilst the Police were walking about and overt), the toddlers were being forcibly held and controlled by the adult aboriginals which is VERY unlike them. Normally they just let them run however and wherever they want, even onto the roads. -- Whilst the Police were there, the toddlers were forcibly restrained but it was all just for show whilst the Police were there. And indeed several aboriginals came out of the criminal aboriginal households and walked away to the Koongamia shops and elsewhere, doing what they ALWAYS do whenever Police arrive and that's to make themselves scarce and scatter about so they can't be found. It's a time proven tactic they've used for YEARS AND YEARS. And in the past, it's a tactic they use so that Police cannot locate criminal aboriginals of all ages by scattering them all about.

ALL THIS IS SO VERY VERY MUCH LIKE LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE. TRULY IT IS TO A DEGREE OF REPETITION THAT YOU HAVE NO IDEA OR ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT! -- ALL THIS IS HELL REPEATING.

The ONLY things which have (as yet) not repeated are the swarms of aboriginal criminal kids on pushbikes and toy ON THE ROADS almost getting run over MANY MANY TIME PER DAY PER HOUR on the wet roads...AND IN THE RAIN WITH CARS ALL ABOUT ON THE ROADS. - (maybe that'll happen tomorrow?)

Today and the past several days has been absolutely dry weather. But it IS going to rain tomorrow supposedly. - So are the authorities/Police just getting in beforehand to warn them all NOT to let all the shit go on as it's gone on for YEARS AND YEARS? -- Or was something ELSE going on? - Something MORE and particularly severe and criminal?

No answers.

That is the epitomy of this hellhole.

Do NOT look to any NEWS to find out things. They are kept ignorant, and also any relvant NEWS is so MANY times held back and only released until WEEKS later...if at all. Motsof teh tme NOTHING is ever known or released to the public. Or is disguised and 'dressed up' to be inconsequential to engender false beliefs of calm and reasurance.

Meanwhile, apparently new neighbours have moved into 2 Kalara Way. - Who they are, and what worth they are as to being 'normal' is anyones guess at this stage. -- Though I certainly do not wish it at all, but it is inevtitable it seems,....lets see what the criminals, and criminal aborginals do to make their lives hell.

AFTER all the police had left, the streets filled with aboriginals walking about and also when it became dark, and the streets were very dark.

AND.....shitheads in places such as aboriginal places in Bellevue (next door suburb) were having 'parties' and loudly yelling...and that was attracting criminal aboriginals walking towards there to congegrate like a magnet.

All that shit was upsetting all the dogs in the area making them bark and distressed. And causing more unrest to other dogs.

Let's see how all that pans out and what develops.

AND.....as usual...all this stuff that's been going on seems to be peaking just BEFORE it's going to rain. THAT very much so seems to be a 'trigger' for shit to happen, because the criminals are so feral animal in all the worst possible aspects.

Just as it has happened COUNTLESS TIMES BEFORE. - JUST AS IT HAS HAPPENED FOR SO MANY MANY YEARS BEFORE.

----------------------------------------------------

Rain is forecast for this hellhole. Therefore none of it is certain andor how much, or if at all it will rain.

----------------------------------------------------

I love you dear Fliss (Felicty Ann Carthew, Tamorth, New South Wales, Australia) and want to be with you. -- Max has been VERY VERY growley and winding up to get out of control and vicious and start savagely biting again. So has poor Sam. -- All the noise and criminals about is of course making all that go on. - They have been fed and safely inside and guarding but are upset. - I love you dear Fliss and want to be with you.

[malaceinthepalace]

Round 2 With the second round of the 2017 world championship over, it leaves the top of the drivers championship tied and the constructors separated by a single point. The race was also action packed from the start you had huge risk with the young Carlos Sainz Jr. starting on slicks in the wet and immediately going to the back of the pack but once again you saw why Red Bull tapped Max last season, he made up ground like he did in Brazil and before the first lap ended a beached Williams caused a virtual safety car this is where Ferrari made their first fatal mistake by pitting Vettel under the virtual safety car blew up as the Renault of Giovananci crashed for the second time in a similar spot with silmuar splendor. Lewis as well as a train of others was allowed to pit from the lead change in to a fresh set of yellow walled softs. Then later on lap 8 after the young charger Max ate the ice man alive the team not getting the faster Vettel around Kimi who's radio transmissions would have suggested the car was experiencing issues would make the call but it happened and then a spectacular pass on his former Red Bull teammate Riccardo and in short work got passed Max and showed the pace of that car to be a threat to a Mercedes dominated season. The major story line is playing out and with what Vettel showed today and even back Mexico last season when he had message for Charlie if he and Lewis get wheel to wheel there will be fireworks. The Red Bull camp had a moment late in the race when Ricardo charged on Max but in the end the teenager kept him at bay to obtain the last step on the podium and third in the drivers too. This race also marks a turning point in the team as they showed pace that frustrated Ferrari and the rest of the middle of the pack teams like Williams and Force India showed how far ahead the Red Bull's. The next story line is Alonso and once again he was in the points late in the race and reliability issues forced him to retire. To deny Alonso's talent would be like saying global warming isn't real, he over the last ten years even more so than Lewis is the what if driver of the decade. It wasn't until he exited Ferrari in Alonso fashion and ended up at Honda Mclearn has this undeniable talent to have even scored points is remarkable but WHAT IF... Alonso drive for Renault instead of Plalmer or had Massas seat at Williams two cars with pace to keep this man fighting for podiums the sport would be better off but his absence is making the entire storyline interesting he and Kimi can push a car no question the question Kimi answered is wether he can be a good teammate. Alonso in his 2nd DNF of the season in as many races didn't sound as Alonso but more of a man that knows if he has 2 to 3 more years to get that third world championship and this year would be better suited at Williams or Renault and if the teams can make this move one of these teams may be in that third step if not higher in 2017. Heading into next weekend the race is once again suited for the Mercedes and with Bottas looking to answer for a very poor showing in China this may put a bit of pressure on him to out pace Lewis and secure his first ever pole and race win. The McLaren team Should "trade" Alonso for data to who ever will take his contract and fill the seat with Button. If LA would have traded Kobe they would have been able to get value instead of well what they got and as much as I loved to see the bean be the living embodiment of Tupac's me against the world and go out pistols blazing the loser is LA the franchise, but racing is different and the looser here is the driver he is going to bring back brilliant data for Honda that he may never see the fruit for his labor. I say that Palmer is the weakest of all the drivers in the field he has shown this time and time again with the massive investment that can be made with 3rd place constructors Renault needs to wake up and make some calls. With a consternation finisher in the points to follow up on this years leaps in performance the situation is similar to Mercedes rise with Schumacher and Rosberg. Now the other Nico could have made a good move if they can get results and that is what Alonso does best.

[mobileautorepairpros]

Road Tests: 2018 Volkswagen Atlas

Vital Statistics

Engine: 3.6-liter VR6

Horsepower: 276

Torque: 266 lb-ft.

0-60 mph: 7.9 seconds

1/4 mile: 16.0 seconds @ 89 mph

EPA: 17 mpg city / 23 mpg highway

Energy Impact: 17.3 barrels of oil/yr

CO2 Emissions: 7.5 tons/yr

When Volkswagen opened up a plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee; to build a new Passat sedan; everyone assumed that car was just first of things to come.  Well, that was 6 years ago! now, finally, we get to see VW’s second effort from the “dynamo of dixie”, the largest utility the brand has ever made; and designed specifically for the American family; the Atlas!

Back when the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas was going through its early design stages, VW must have been nervous about where the SUV market was headed.  It turns out, they needn’t have worried, as utility sales continue to escalate like it’s 1999 all over again.  And Atlas appears to be exactly the right vehicle that Volkswagen needs.

 This 3-row, 7-passenger, approaching full-size crossover, is longer outside and roomier inside than the Honda Pilot or the Toyota Highlander. In fact, at 198.3-inches, its overall length is exactly the same as the Ford Explorer. 

 VW went for a somewhat old-school, rugged, yet boxy look here, with a familiar front that unabashedly resembles the rest of the VW lineup. 

 There’s 8.0-inches of ground clearance; and 18-inch wheels are standard on all but top trim SEL Premium, which gets 20s.

 Familiarity lies under the hood as well, with a standard 2.0-liter I4 turbo rated at 235-horsepower and 258 lb-ft. of torque. 

 You’ll have to step up to the optional naturally-aspirated 3.6-liter VR6 if you want all-wheel-drive.  It delivers 276-horsepower and 266 lb-ft. of torque through the 5th generation of VW’s 4Motion permanent AWD system; which operates in front-wheel-drive mostly, but sends as much as 50% of power rearward when slip is detected.

 Two off road modes are part of Driving Mode Selection. 

 Putting an all-new vehicle out right now without the latest in safety tech, would be a no-go; so the Atlas has most goodies available, from full Stop and Go Adaptive Cruise Control to Autonomous Emergency Braking.

 Inside, the dash design is similar to the Passat, but less drab and a little more modern. 

 Materials and trim are quite good, better than most in class; though nothing quite to the level of the Mazda CX-9’s up-level Signature. 

 All but base trim get an 8.0-inch touchscreen display with varying levels of features.  Operation is intuitive, and response is much quicker that previous VW systems. Apple Car Play an Android Auto are included. 

 No doubt helped along by the available panoramic sunroof, the interior certainly does convey spaciousness. Yet, Atlas drives like a much smaller vehicle with light, crisp steering. No lumbering ute here, and a good stablemate to the compact Tiguan.

 And believe it or not, the Atlas is actually built on the same MQB architecture as the Tiguan, and the Golf. 

 Three adults will find good room in the second row, and a pair of grownups can even ride in the 3rd row. Furthermore, access to that 3rd row is fantastically easy.

 As for cargo, you’ll find almost a minivan’s worth of space. Raise the available power liftgate for 20.6 cubic-ft. behind the 3rd row, that’s more than Pilot, less than Explorer. There’s 55.5 cubic-ft. behind the 2nd row, and its 96.8 cubic-ft. max with all seats folded totally flat. That betters both the Pilot and Explorer, and even the Chevrolet Tahoe.

 Towing capacity is 5,000-lbs with the 6-cylinder. 

 The nimble nature that we felt on the street was more than evident through our slalom course as well.  There’s a very tight and sold feel, along with an eager to turn-in chassis; though there was a little more body roll than we expected.

 The VR6 engine has been around for a couple of decades now, and power delivery does indeed feel very old school.  It took us 7.9-seconds to hit 60; with the full ¼-mile trip taking 16.0-seconds at 89 miles-per-hour.

 Shifts from the 8-speed automatic are very smooth, and engine noise is well restrained.   

 With all-wheel-drive, Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 17-City, 23-Highway, and 19-Combined.  And, 19 was our  average on a mixed driving loop. 

 So, the Energy Impact Score rates poor; burning 17.3-barrels of oil yearly, while emitting 7.5 tons of CO2. 

 Like most larger 3-row utes, the Atlas delivers the basics for just over $30,000, and you’ll pay close to 50 for the best of everything. But, our well outfitted V6 SEL tester, at $40,085, met all of our family needs and seemed like a genuine bargain to boot. All-wheel drive is $1800 more.

 It took a while to get here, but early indicators are the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas was worth the wait. It’s the American-sized 3-row SUV that the VW faithful have been waiting for. IT’s packed full with a tremendous amount of space, comfort, and capability that will surely make it attractive to just about anybody in the market for a larger crossover.  VW is clearly “in it to win it.”

from MotorWeek Entries http://ift.tt/2hKaYvO via IFTTT