Saturday 28 March 2009

Brooklands, near Weybridge

This is Brooklands, built 1907, which was the first purpose-built race circuit in the world, and an aerodrome from WW2 until the seventies for Vickers.

I have a lot to say about its history, the day, and other issues regarding the present state of the track. This site is presently a museum of old race cars and non, and airplanes. It served its purpose to auto and airplane history and is now a sedate site for a visit, surrounded by nature which has swallowed up much of the track.

Centenial of the test hill (1909 for you dummies)
This hill was designed for manufacturers to test the drivetrains on their new motors.
The brochure says the hill starts at an 8:1 slope then goes 5:1 and 4:1.
I gave a donation and got a run up the test hill and around the banking in a Lamborghini.

Here's the Lambo 1/3 of the way up. Got that one on high-speed film.
This hole-shot takes about 7 seconds. (I'll try to upload the MP3 sound.)

and another car reaching the crest of the test hill. Check the look of surprise on the lady's face.


the banked track
I actually got up to the top of the banking for this photo. It wasn't easy climbing down. Try to find a video on youtube and you'll see that cars used to ride up here.
[Notice the bridge. You'll see other photos taken from there.]

Even this remaining part of the track looks a bit ragged. You can see the moss and the weeds at the edge, but it is 102 years old.

This is most of the rest of the track, from the bridge:


Most of the rest of this massive track has been torn up. Interestlingly, right past this photo is Mercedes-Benz World. They've used the glitter of the track to make their own test track and shrine to their new models. Those pesky Germans, always manufacturing such good stuff!

the cars
a fine collection from the in-house museum and some special 'visitors'.
This is an aero-engined car.

It's the second of four [next pic].
All hell broke loose when they cranked these up. [having difficulty uploading the MP3 material.]
The green one fired up first, the blue second (0:50) and the silver Napier Railton third (1:50), all of them in front of me. The Red car was further away.



the planes

this one was fished out of Loch Ness.

You've also got a Concord with multi-media show inside.



There's also a huge wind tunnel and other technological marvels, if you know what you're looking at.

-Cosine67 ~~~

Thursday 26 March 2009

Jurassic era revisited


The Jurassic period and this period here, the Thongmyassic, are similar in many ways. As we've seen from all the documentaries, all the evolutionary paths of animals and dinosaurs eventually arive at an end; species die off. Honestly, we've done a lot to speed up that process for many an animal.
So, I've been thinking that, if environmentalist's projections are correct, we may be in the process of destroying our species. If we destroy our environment so much that it does not allow us to live, then we're gone.
It seems that we'll die off, but not everything will. The world will do just fine without us. In fact it'll be saying:

"don't let the door hit you on the arse."
We are, of course, in the enviable position of being able to analyse everything that happened and will happen. So, we can watch the end coming. We'll probably put it on television and sell advertising.

Maybe there's a reason why rich, wasteful people are using and destroying everything within their reach; they have accepted their mortality, and Darwinism, and are just enjoying the moment. (You know the maxim: "the one who dies with the most toys wins")
Maybe there's also a reason why governments are essentially doing nothing to stop this hayride to hell:

There's a profit to be made from our self-destruction!

Unfortunately, the fact that the powers are doing this while others are trying to save the planet pisses most of us off, myself included.

Discuss amongst yourselves:
When will we finally wipe ourselves off the face of the earth?
Do you think that we will be able to see our end coming?
That reminds me of a joke:

What's the last thing that goes through a bug's mind,
before it dies on a windscreen/windshield?
It's arse.
Get it?
-Cosine67

green buildings, literally speaking


It's about time that we try to make cities look more like nature. It lowers air-conditioning costs, produces valuable oxygen and looks amazing.
Let's all get in on the trend. Here's an idea for a new show:
"Pimp my crib"
"Jungle my hut"
"Green my scene"
or anything as long as it doesn't star that whack radio one dj. Respec.

-Cosine67

Tuesday 24 March 2009

gestation of the beast

Since the early days of our species, we have tried to use technology to harness and control nature for our benefit.
This blog will look at the technology that we've developed, in any form, but with an eye on nature as well, and how technology can be used to actually lessen our footprint on this planet. I enjoy technology, but its use is often a problem. It breeds consumerism which will be the death of us and our planet. Newer, bigger, faster. It has in fact led us to this financial catastrophe. Instead, I'm very interested in things which cost nothing, and yet fulfill a purpose.

On one big issue: I believe that cars should be a toy only. Commuters should just find another solution. So I enjoy being around cars, but I don't actually have access to one most of the time. But when I do grab one, it's usually for a rip around a race track. Do I think this is schizophrenic? Maybe.

Cosine67, ahead of the (sine) curve