#Electronic Ignition System

[cherrari]

if i say idk what the turbo or crankshaft is will u laugh

don't worry i would never laugh at people asking questions because i rarely laugh in the first place

the current major components of the pu (and their allowable allocations per season) are:

the internal combustion engine (currently the v6) -> 4

the motor generator unit-kinetic (mgu-k) -> 4

the motor generator unit-heat (mgu-h) -> 4

the turbocharger (tc) -> 4

the energy store (es) (aka the battery) -> 2

the control electronics (ce) -> 2

the exhaust (ex) -> 8 per set

i will go through them one by one. i'm not going to list every single component connected to them because that would take way too long and honestly isn't necessary... i'm just listing the most relevant things, if you look up an actual f1 car there will be more going on than what i'm saying here.

the ice is the primary source of power. it turns fuel into kinetic energy. combustion engines are very common but can get quite complex, especially one that operates at such high efficiency like f1's... but the basic idea here is that it operates in a four-step cycle where air is taken in, compressed, mixed with fuel, then ignited. this creates a force which pushes a series of pistons, and finally this force travels through a few other components until it reaches the rear wheels to accelerate the car. the crankshaft is one of these; it takes the pressure from the pistons and uses it to drive a rotational force which is then used by the succeeding components.

the mgu-k is attached to the crankshaft and electronically to the es (battery). during braking, it harvests energy from the rear that would otherwise be released as heat to put into the battery. (it cannot harvest energy from the front) when accelerating, it can then redirect energy from either the battery or the mgu-h into the crankshaft to add extra torque. there is a strict limitation on how much power the mgu-k can contribute, but the 2026 regulations are increasing this massively (like 3x the amount). also the mgu-k is why f1 cars can self-start when stalled mid-race, as even if the engine is off it can still power the crankshaft so long as there is energy in the battery.

the turbocharger is attached to the ice's exhaust manifolds and is composed of a turbine and a compressor. the exhaust gas from the ice rotates the turbine which activates the compressor. the compressor compresses incoming air before it enters the engine for combustion, allowing for more air to be taken in overall. basically it makes the engine more efficient without it becoming too heavy or large.

the mgu-h is mechanically attached to the turbo's central shaft and electrically connected to the battery. it harvests otherwise unused heat from the exhaust gases and sends it to either the mgu-k or the battery. back in the old days before the mgu-h existed and turbos were far less efficient, drivers would need to sit on the throttle to keep the it running. nowadays the mgu-h is used for this, as it can use energy from the battery to control the turbo's speed, including when at low revs. the mgu-h is the component being ditched for 2026 and is the reason why the mgu-k's capacity is being beefed up (to compensate for its loss).

the energy store is the battery. energy harvested by the motors is stored here until deployment. the battery (and the ce) are comparatively small, flat, and very efficient because they need to rapidly charge and discharge energy according to the driver's inputs. when people refer to f1 pus as being hybrid, they're referring to the mixture of power from the ice and the electrical energy from the mgu units that is stored in the battery.

the control electronics that's being referred to here is what converts the energy from the motors into an energy format that can be stored in the battery and vice-versa. this is not the same as the ecu, which is a standardized controller for the electronics of the car (such as the braking system), despite the confusing names.

the exhausts are attached to the engine's exhaust ports. they are divided into sets, with three on either side of the engine and then a connection to the turbo.

as i said i didn't talk about every component that powers the car here because that would be effectively every single one... but let me know if you have any questions. i deleted like 1k words from this because i realised i was going off topic 😭

[drabblesandimagines]

Elevation

Leon Kennedy x female reader More of my fluffy nonsense

Hunnigan slams the phone down into the cradle at the end of her call and if you hadn’t already been casting auspicious glances up at the scene before you, her actions would’ve made you jump.

“What is it, Leon?” Hunnigan’s tone is blunt.

It would be so easy to look up at the handsome DSO agent then. You’d be perfectly within your right to look up too, your desk opposite sat directly opposite Hunnigan’s so you had ring-side side seats to the commotion. It wouldn’t look odd - he’d be in your eyeline, after all - but you fight the temptation, keeping your eyes fixed on the paper in front of you, fingers tapping idly away over the keyboard as you transpose to the screen.

Exactly what you’ve been doing the past ten minutes that Leon Kennedy has been wandering around the office, dressed in a pair of form-fitting jeans today, his gun holster peeking out from underneath a beloved leather jacket, directing all attention to a certain pair of assets.

Not that you were keeping track of how long he’d been there, of course, you had work to do.

“Huh?” For someone who had apparently been waiting on her call finishing, Leon’s thoughts seems elsewhere.

“I said,” Hunnigan adjusts her tone, “can I help you with something?”

“Does there have to be something? Surely a guy can just come visit his favourite FOS agent.”

“But you haven’t come to visit, you’ve come to loiter.” Hunnigan retorts. “I told you already, if I have anything for you, I will be in contact. Go home.”

There’s an incredulous scoff as he tries to think of a reason to stay, but it quickly transforms into a sigh as he admits defeat. “Fine.”

He begins his retreat towards the exit and you hear the tell-tale beep of his pass against by the door panel, the electronic lock then clunking in release.

“Have a good afternoon, ladies.”

You look up then – and only then - to find him looking directly at you. You give him a polite smile in return. “You too.”

He grins in return, a proper one that makes his eyes crease, before giving you a nod and a wave as he through the door. The smile stays on your lips as you reach for your mug of coffee – now ice cold - and take a sip.

“I think he likes you, you know?” Hunnigan states in her oh-so-nonchalantly way, making you choke on the gulp you’d just taken.

“What? No…! I mean, who?” Your voice is tight in response from having swallowed the liquid the wrong way, internally cursing. Smooth, real smooth.

“Leon.” The agent continues hammering away at her keyboard, kindly ignoring your attempts at being subtle.

“I don’t know where you’ve drawn that conclusion from.” You don’t – you really don’t. You could probably count the amount of conversations the two of you have had with all of your fingers, all just pleasantries.

“I’ve worked with him for years now and he’s never been here as much since your transfer started.”

“Coincidence, I’m sure. He just seems eager for work.”

Hunnigan goes to open her mouth in response when, thankfully, the phone on her desk rings. Saved by the bell.

--

Being afraid of elevators had never really been an issue until you had taken this assignment, being sent to work on the 12th floor. At the very least it’s proving to be a good workout the number of times a day you now trudge up and down the stairwell from your desk to the archives below. The DSO holds a surprising amount of paper copies of intel in the basement – both handwritten and old typewriter documents - secured behind a vault door, rumours of the place being rigged to ignite in flames if an intruder is detected to prevent it all from falling into the wrong hands.

The DSO board had decided that intel should now be stored in the government-secured cloud and on paper and you’d been brought in as an archivist/analyst hybrid, on loan from the CIA. The project you’d been tasked with, single-handedly, was transferring intel that was currently only held in those paper copies to the online system. There was technology that could do but it wasn’t perfect – scrawled handwriting would often prove indecipherable by most machines or it misread words, so everything would need quality checked. It was agreed a human touch was best and your name had come up after the CIA had undertaken a similar audit of their files a few years ago to excellent results. Once everything had been digitized, it had become easier to quickly identify any links between incidents past and present – using surnames, terms, intel – and even stopped a handful of potential ones, so the DSO had been keen to put the practice in place.

It did mean, however, that every day you’d go down to the vault, select a box of paperwork – either the one you’ve got partway through or a whole new one - trudge back up the many flights of stairs, and then start typing from page to screen to produce a digitized document. It was imperative that no-one else see the documents, so they’d set you up in Hunnigan’s office as one of their most trusted agents.

Wanting to look professional whilst in the office but not break your neck on the stairs, you kept a selection of heels in your locker to swap out of for your reliable sneakers. Hunnigan was still working away when you packed up around 7pm, kicking off your heels to switch out, and had been in a lengthy, hushed tone call for the past hour. You nodded your head as you heaved the box of documents up in your arms, and she waved back in acknowledgement.

Beeping your ID card at the door, the lock buzzed and the door opened automatically – a godsend as the box you had today was particularly heavy – everything within held in those awful arch-lever folders.

As you emerged, you heard the puff of the elevator doors beginning to slide shut, not even giving it a moment of thought. You turned to the left to head down the stairs as usual, when a gloved hand slammed between the elevator doors, preventing them from closing with a thud and giving you a start, turning to see a face.

The face of Leon S Kennedy catches you entirely by surprise. He hadn’t even been by the office today to bother Hunnigan, though you know he does have his own desk somewhere in the building, maybe even his own office. He smiles at the sight of you, beckoning you over.

“Hey. Hop on in - I’m going down.”

You hesitate at the invitation. You haven’t been in an elevator for years and he’s just stood there, waiting, holding the door open. You have to say or do something. “You okay?”

Next thing you know, as if you’d been hypnotized, you were walking towards the elevator, then stepping over the threshold into a place you swore you never would enter again.

“Basement?” Leon fingers hover over the button panel in anticipation.

“Yeah. Thanks.”

He presses the buttons for ground and basement simultaneously with two fingers, and the door slides shut with another puff of air.

The elevator and your stomach begin to descend in unison.

This is fine.

“Looks heavy. Can I…?” He gestures to the box, offering to take it.

“Oh, thanks, but it’s okay.” You bump the box up with your knee, trying to strengthen your grip on it. Your palms are sweaty, but you’re not sure if the cause is the elevator or the handsome man besides you.

Leon crosses his arms, leans back against the wall. “They still not given you a lackey to do all the grunt work? I thought that’s what they took on interns for these days.”

“It’s difficult when no-one else is meant to handle it, let alone see it but me.” Leon gives you a quizzical look at that. “It’s protocol, narrows down the potential for leaks. If anything gets out, it’s on my head, so…”

“What about when you take breaks? You don’t…”

You nod, shifting the box in your arms again. Why do they feel like jelly? “Gotta lug it back downstairs to be locked back in the vault.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Mm-mm. It’s fine – good exercise for me, I guess, between sitting at the desk all day, so…”

“Surely they could at least give you a desk closer to the grou-“

The elevator’s smooth descent is transformed into a shudder, followed by a loud metallic screech and a sharp jerk that makes your stomach truly drop before all motion halts. No, no, no, no.

“Huh.” Leon muses, calm as anything. He immediately presses the emergency call button, illuminated in red, but the only sound that emits out of the speakers is static. He presses it again to the same result, and then in rapid succession, as if that’ll coerce it into working.

You tighten your grip on the box, wanting to tell him to stop but, thankfully, he gives up before you can have the strength to find your voice and pulls his cell out from his pocket.

“Damn, no reception.” He looks back over to you then with a sympathetic smile. “Well, this is one way to get overtime outta us, hey?”

There’s no chance to reply before the elevator plunges into darkness and you drop the box immediately, thankfully away from your feet. It can only be a few seconds at the most but it feels like an eternity before the emergency lighting comes on, casting the small metal prison in a pale yellow hue.

Leon’s staring at you, looking concerned. “You okay?”

“Y-yeah.” You reply, not at all convincingly. You bend down to pick up the box to escape that blue-eyed gaze for a moment, heaving it back up in your arms. “Is this… normal for this office?” You hope he can’t hear how tight your voice is.

“Power must be down, seems like the back-up generator kicked in.” The agent shrugs, looking around the elevator as if something of use might be around. “It’ll prioritize the critical systems – so I’d guess lights, vending machines and elevators are not gonna be particularly high up on that list.”

“Wonderful.” You reply, breathily. It’s warm. Should it be warm? “Here, let me just…” Leon reaches over and gently tugs the box from your weak grip, no sign of surprise at the weight of it as he takes it. “We don’t know how long we’ll be in here, so let’s put this down.”

“No, I shou-“

“I promise I’m not going to try and read any of it.”

You watch him as he places it down, he’s sure to bend with his knees rather than his back, and tucks it into the corner under the button panel, out of the way. He stands back up to his full height, looking at you for a response, but all you manage is a shaky nod.

“Are you feeling okay?” “Y-yeah. Fine.” “Mm. Not a great liar.” He tilts his head, scanning you with his eyes once more. “What’s the matter?”   “I…” Another swallow in the hopes of your mouth not feeling so dry. “I don’t like elevators. Always take the stairs.” “Oh.” Not the answer he was expecting it seems. “Wait, why’d you get in, then?” “Well, er…” You hesitate again, how do you answer that? “You… You told me to.”

He can’t help the goofy smile that crosses his face. “Huh, that’s all it takes? Interesting. I’ll have to remember that.”

You’re about to ask him what that’s supposed to mean, the words just on the tip of your tongue when the elevator jerks and they turn into a shriek. It’s over before it even begins, really, but Leon’s reflexes now have you pressed up against the wall, his arms braced above your head to protect it from any sort of impact.

“It’s all right,” he says, softly. “I’m here, I’ve got you.”

Your heart is beating too fast, tears burn at your eyes at the fright. He’s so close, you can smell his cologne – musky, hints of vanilla – but this isn’t where you want to be having this moment.

“How about we sit down, huh?”

“I’m okay.” Your answer is breathy again, your chest feeling tight. Panting like you’d finished climbing up 12 flights of stairs.

“It’ll be more comfortable.”

“Don’t wanna…” You try and take a deep inhale, but it doesn’t seem to reach the bottom of your lungs. “Don’t wanna s-shake it.”

“You won’t.” He drops his arms from against the wall and instead grabs your hand, squeezes it in an attempt to ground you. “Trust me.”

You want to trust him, but the panic is too strong. This was such a bad idea, why did you do this?

“I…”

“We’ll do it together, okay?” He somehow coaxes you to shuffle forward and then slips in behind you, taking hold of your other hand. “Just lean against me and we’ll ease on down.”

Leon presses his chest firmly up against your back and you wonder if he can feel how hard your heart is beating. He wraps his arms around your waist next, meaning you’re hugging yourself in a way before he slides down against the elevator wall, bringing you down with him, onto the carpeted elevator floor. He thought it was a seamless maneuverer, but the way he’d felt your nails dig into his leather gloves from how tight your grip was, he knew you weren’t of the same opinion.

“There we go.” His thighs are spread either side of yours, now that you’re nestled inbetween his legs. “Worried you were gonna pass out – you’d gone really pale. Just sit here and concentrate on your breathing a minute, okay? Feel how I’m doing it.”

You close your eyes and try to concentrate on how he’s breathing, feeling his chest expand as he inhales, loudly and deliberately through his nose, holds the breath, then exhales heavily through his mouth, tickling the back of your neck.

You try and mimic him, get your inhales and exhales in sync and, slowly, the pressure begins to ease in your chest as you feel your breaths get deeper and deeper.

"Feeling a little better?”

His voice reverberates from his chest being pressed up against your back, feels comforting. “Yeah. Thank you.”

“Hey, don’t mention it. My fault you’re in here, after all.” He replies, gently. “I’m gonna move now, okay? Wanna check you’ve got the colour back in your cheeks.”

You nod, and he somehow manages to shuffle back and to the front of you with overly cautious movements – definitely for your benefit, ever the gentleman - withdrawing his legs into a crossed position and giving you a smile as he takes in your appearance. Being so fixed in his gaze makes your cheeks prickle with heat – maybe not the colour he’d hoped to be checking.

“Yeah, you’re looking better. Good.” He nods in affirmation, more to himself than you. “That noise – I think someone was trying to get the power back on, sounds like it only worked for a second before it could get going. The elevator’s not gonna fall.”

“How do you know?”

“I’ve had to disable some of them before – for work, I mean. They’re all equipped with multiple failsafe systems to prevent that exact scenario.”

“Disable them?”

“Just so they stop…” He gestures in a circle as he tries to find the words, “elevating, I guess, so I’m not pursued. Make ‘em take the stairs.”

“Ah, right.” You nod. “Wind them a bit.”

“Exactly. If you don’t mind me asking, you always been afraid of them?”

“No. Got stuck in one in an old apartment block years ago – it didn’t feel particularly modern. There were three of us – me and two drunk guys who kept jumping up and down, convinced that would make it move. The fire department got us out after two hours cos I had one of those… episodes. Haven’t been in one since.”

“Idiots.”

“They just kept laughing the more panicked I got. I felt so stupid.”

“Panic attacks are no joke. That box breathing always helps me if I feel on edge, though.”

“Yeah, that was really good.” You feel a shy smile creep over your face. “If I had to get suck in an elevator with anyone, I’m glad it was you.”

He practically beams. “Now I don’t feel quite so bad. I’ve gotta ask again though, you really got in here just because I said to?” He’s already seen you a panicking mess, so why not just be honest? “Your smile helped too.” “Well, consider me flattered.”

“It’s a nice smile…” You swallow, a little cautious of the next word. “Enticing.”

You swear you see a smidge of colour flush Leon’s cheeks then, but it must be a trick of the artificial lights. “Well, since we’re confessing – yours is too. That’s the real reason I was bothering Hunnigan. Wanted to see if I could win another.”

“You came to see me smile?” You’re definitely blushing now – cheeks prickling with the heat.

“Guilty. I don’t think you’d remember, but a week or so back I was having a real shitty day. Went to go debrief with Hunnigan and she wasn’t there, but you were. When I stormed in, you just gave me the best and most genuine smile I’d seen in days. Meant a lot.” He rubs the back of his neck, sheepishly.

You smile again, can’t help it, and he groans, jokingly. “Ugh, see? Not again – I don’t think my heart can take how sweet it is.”

You don’t know what to say to that but you’re excused when, suddenly, the lights transition overhead with a flicker from the emergency dulled tones to the standard, harsh fluorescent light and the elevator begins its smooth descent once more.

“Finally, huh?” Leon gets up easily to his feet and then offers you a hand.

“Yeah.” You accept it without hesitation, goosebumps prickling up your arm as he wraps his fingers around your hand and he pulls you up with ease. Slyly, his other hand now rests on the small of your back, drawing you in close…

The elevator dings, announcing its arrival on the ground floor and the doors slide open to reveal a maintenance worker, clad in blue overalls, waiting in the lobby. Leon draws back then, but still keeps his hand steady on your back.

“You two all right? Power-cut had rotten timing, I was gonna repair that emergency speaker tonight when most of the office was cleared out.”

“All good, thanks.” Leon bends down, picks up the box again without question and you follow him out of the elevator in pursuit, only to hear a cell begin to ring from his pocket. He balances the box with one arm – you’ve no idea how – and pulls out the device, frowning at the name on screen.

“Sorry, I’ve really gotta take this.” His brows furrow in annoyance. “You be okay with taking that downstairs?”

“Yeah, of course. I really should take it back now anyway, you know, just in case…” You trail off as he eases the box over to you, making sure you’ve got it properly before he lets go. “Thanks… for everything.”

“Pleasure was all mine.” He replies, sincerely, before reluctantly lifting the cell up to his ear.

“Kennedy.”

You leave him to his phone-call and head down the stairs for a thankfully unremarkable trip down to the vaults to replace the box back in its rightful place. It’d be a lie to say when you climbed back up to the lobby that you weren’t disappointed when there’s no trace of him to be found.

--

The next morning, after passing through the security check, you make your way down to the archive vault as usual, pressing your hand against the door panel to gain access. Sadly, you’ve still got a lot of work to do in the box you’d been working on yesterday, so you dutifully log its withdrawal in the computer system, and heave it up once more in your arms before heading out.

You only make it up one flight of stairs when you see him, leaned up against the stairway wall, one arm held against his chest whilst his other hand is holding his cell, squinting at some text. He looks up as you scuff your trainer on one of the steps and he smiles as you reach him, tucking his cell back away.

“Good morning.”

“Morning. What brings you here?” You curse inwardly. “I mean, not that it’s not a pleasant surprise, just…”

He waves it off. “I getcha. Well, I have some pretty good sway here, you know, so I’ve volunteered.”

“Volunteered for what?”

“Volunteered…” He steps forward and wraps his arms around the box, “..to be your stairs lackey.”

“Oh, no – it’s fine, honestly.” You feel flustered at the very idea. Leon’s one of the top, if not the top agent of the DSO. He can’t be doing manual labour for you, he shouldn’t. “You have so many better things to be doing. I can mana…”

“Please?” He tilts his head, gives you that enticing smile again. “I mean, I could just tell you,” – he teases – “but I thought I’d ask this time, so you’re sure.”

The smile makes you feel weak at the knees and you’d already proven yesterday you couldn’t resist its magic. “Okay. But you should definitely take the elevator then.”

“Uh-uh.” He shakes his head, taking the box into his arms. “It’s good cardio, got my weight-resistance. You’re practically doing me a favour by taking the stairs.”

“Is that so?”

“Mm-hm. Though,” he bites his lip in a pause, “I may have ulterior motives.”

“Right, and what would those be?”

“If I were to, say, visit the office around six tonight and carry this thing back down to the vault, maybe you’d go to dinner with me?”

God, you feel absolutely giddy - there’s no way you can hold back your smile. “I think that’s… acceptable.”

“Then we have a deal. Ladies first,” he nods with his head to up the stairwell.

“No, I… I think you should go first. Just so I can keep an eye on you on the way up. I’ve got to make sure you’re not sneaking a peek at the assets, you know?”

He quirks an eyebrow, you know he’s wondering what you’re thinking, but he shrugs it off all the same. “As you wish.”

And as you follow him up 12 flights of stairs, you slightly breathless and him seemingly fine, you can’t help but sneak a look at a different pair of assets before you.

---

Comments, likes and reblogs make my whole day x

Masterlist . Requests welcome . Ko-fi/Commissions

[sandssservices]

The 1953 GMC 3100 is equipped with the original 216 motor and a 3-speed manual transmission, running and driving excellently as a ready-to-go classic. It features a new vintage air system with a thermostat and belts, ensuring comfort regardless of the time of year. We have installed two new 3-point seatbelts and a lap belt for the middle, providing safety and security for all passengers. The truck now includes electronic ignition, power windows, and a Bluetooth radio with brand new speakers. We have made numerous upgrades to the truck, and I cannot list every detail in this post. Selling as is where is. For any questions or additional information, please contact me at 903-340-2198.

[codingquill]

What happens when you start your computer ? ( Booting a computer )

We studied this in the lecture today, and it was quite interesting. What makes something a hundred times simpler than it is? Creating a story about it. That's why I made this super fun dialog that will help you understand it all.

I've set up a drive to compile everything I create related to the Linux operating system. Feel free to explore it for more details on the topics discussed in the conversation below. Check it out here.

Have a fun read, my dear coders!

In the digital expanse of the computer, Pixel, the inquisitive parasite, is on a microventure with Binary, a wise digital guide. Together, they delve into the electronic wonders, uncovering the secrets hidden in the machine's core.

Pixel: (zooming around) Hey there! Pixel here, on a mission to demystify the tech wonders . There's a creature named Binary who knows all the ins and outs. Let's find them!

Binary: (appearing with a flicker of pixels) Pixel, greetings! Ready to explore what happens inside here?

Pixel: Absolutely! I want the full scoop. How does this thing come alive when the human outside clicks on "start"?

Binary: (with a digital chuckle) Ah, the magic of user interaction. Follow me, and I'll reveal the secrets.

(They traverse through the circuits, arriving at a glowing portal.)

Pixel: (inquiring) What's the deal with this glowing door?

Binary: (hovering) Pixel, behold the BIOS - our machine's awakening. When the human clicks "start," the BIOS kicks in, checking if our components are ready for action.

(They proceed to observe a tiny program in action.)

Pixel: (curious) Look at that little messenger running around. What's it up to?

Binary: (explaining) That, Pixel, is the bootloader. It plays courier between the BIOS and the operating system, bringing it to life.

Pixel: (excitedly buzzing) Okay! How does the computer know where to find the operating system?

Binary: Ah, Pixel, that's a tale that takes us deep into the heart of the hard disk. Follow me.

(They weave through the digital pathways, arriving at the hard disk.)

Pixel: (curious) Huh? Tell me everything!

Binary: Within this hard disk lies the treasure chest of the operating system. Let's start with the Master Boot Record (MBR).

(They approach the MBR, Binary pointing to its intricate code.)

Binary: The MBR is like the keeper of the keys. It holds crucial information about our partitions and how to find the operating system.

Pixel: (wide-eyed) What's inside?

Binary: (pointing) Take a look. This is the primary boot loader, the first spark that ignites the OS journey.

(They travel into the MBR, where lines of code reveal the primary boot loader.)

Pixel: (in awe) This tiny thing sets the whole show in motion?

Binary: (explaining) Indeed. It knows how to find the kernel of the operating system, which is the core of its existence.

(They proceed to the first partition, where the Linux kernel resides.)

Pixel: (peering into the files) This is where the OS lives, right?

Binary: (nodding) Correct, Pixel. Here lies the Linux kernel. Notice those configuration files? They're like the OS's guidebook, all written in text.

(They venture to another partition, finding it empty.)

Pixel: (confused) What's the story with this empty space?

Binary: (smirking) Sometimes, Pixel, there are barren lands on the hard disk, waiting for a purpose. It's a canvas yet to be painted.

Pixel: (reflecting) Wow! It's like a whole universe in here. I had no idea the operating system had its roots in the hard disk.

(They continue their microventure, navigating the binary landscapes of the computer's inner world.Pixel gazes at the screen where choices appear.)

Pixel: What's happening here?

Binary: (revealing) This is where the user picks the operating system. The computer patiently waits for a decision. If none comes, it follows the default path.

(They delve deeper into the digital code, where applications start blooming.)

Pixel: (amazed) It's like a digital garden of applications! What's the enchantment behind this?

Binary: (sharing) Here, Pixel, is where the applications sprout to life. The operating system nurtures them, and they blossom into the programs you see on the screen.

Pixel: (excited) But how does the machine know when the human clicks "start"?

Binary: It's the BIOS that senses this initiation. When the human triggers "start," the BIOS awakens, and we embark on this mesmerizing journey.

[isaut]

𝒍𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔, 𝒇𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒉 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓— f!reader x captain rex. 3.5k. ao3

calling lovers just like real people do... previous. masterlist.

The report is almost done. Rex thinks he’s fast at these, ever since Cody walked him through the shortcuts for it when Rex first was promoted to captain. What words to use, how to switch from tab to tab and box to box quickly. Rex likes to work on these reports in the back corner of the mess hall. It helps him not focus on the food before him– one hand punching against the electronic keyboard and another spooning mash into his mouth.

Cody clatters into the bench across from Rex, holding his own tray. He’s got a jellyfruit soda on his tray, and a little smile on his face. 

“Hey, Rex,” Cody says. He cracks open the can, taking a sip. Jellyfruit flavors are delicate, especially when carbonated. 

Rex looks up briefly, “Hey, Cody.” 

Cody shuffles his food around a bit on the tray, mixing his meat and potatoes together. They don’t smell like much of anything, and the steam that once wafted off of them has dissipated, leaving the food lukewarm and lifeless. “You almost done?” 

“Yeah, I just have a few more things to add,” Rex says. He doesn’t include his private conversation with General Skywalker, and he doesn’t include the nightly conversation between the boys about what they would do if they had a girl to entertain. It doesn’t have anything to do with the integrity of the mission, after all. 

Cody eats quietly while Rex finishes up. When he’s done, Rex locks the data pad and sets it aside. He returns to the meal in front of him. A heap of meat (unidentified) and beans (barely rehydrated). It’s especially dismal today. And yesterday. And the day before that. And everyday since he began taking meals with you in Naboo. 

“I just got out of a meeting with the Generals,” Cody says. He gives his meal one last pat through, spork coming down sideways on the mash before shoveling a bite into his mouth.  

Rex’s eyes play a pass of tennis between Cody and the soda beside his tray, eyebrows raised skeptically. “A meeting with General Kenobi?” 

“Uh, no. Well, yeah, he was there.” Cody talks with his mouth full and his hand over it. “With Skywalker too. He wants you to go find him in the hull when you’re done eating.” 

“He tell you what for?” 

Cody shrugs. “He was cryptic.” 

“Cool. Tano with him?” 

Cody shakes his head. “Nah. Don’t know where she is.” 

Rex nods. “Probably just another mission.” 

“Maybe he needs you and the ARCs to go back down to Naboo. That’s one hell of a classified mission.” 

Rex nods and rolls his shoulders back. “Yeah, it’s somethin’ else.” His heart thuds in his chest. The hopeful part of him, this new, undiscovered part of him, hopes that it’s that communication device he’s asked for. He only asked once, but he’s sure that General Skywalker hasn’t forgotten. 

The prospect of it ignites Rex. His silverware clatters to his tray and he stands. “I’m just going to go. I’m not going to be able to finish this.” 

Cody watches as Rex walks away. Rex has always finished his trays, no matter how disgusting the rations on them were. Cody sips his non-rationed can of soda. 

Rex arrives at the hull. There are men stationed around at the varying systems, focused on the buttons and screens before them. Only one, aside from the general himself, doesn’t look like the others. Anakin stands at the center, looking out towards the vast, emptiness of space. There’s a looming sense about it, as his black, Jedi garb sticks out amongst the gray-clad brothers. 

“General Skywalker,” Rex says, approaching him. 

“Rex,” Anakin says, turning and smiling at the other man. “Let's go on a walk.” 

There’s a vast amount of space to walk through. The hallways are artificially silenced, technology whispering under footsteps. Neither man exchanges a word as Anakin leads them on a winding path through the interior, putting distance between them and anyone else. They pass armories, barracks, mess halls, offices, bathrooms, until coming upon a little nook with no traffic. 

Anakin checks around for anyone, looking over his shoulder for a few moments, quiet to the Force. Rex does the same, though he can’t hear like the generals can. Anakin speaks first. 

“I have something for you.” 

Rex tries to quell his excitement, to not get his hopes up. He swallows, locks his jaw, then relaxes his face the best he can.  

Anakin reaches into his pocket, hand rustling against his lightsaber. He produces a hologram device. Silver, simple, and, “Untracked by the Republic.” 

It takes a moment before Rex accepts the device, body slow on the notion that he was receiving what he asked for. A gift he asked for. A privilege he asked for. 

His thumb slides over the silver that covers the glass of which the hologram is produced from. He swallows once more. 

“Thank you, sir.” 

Anakin’s hand rests on Rex’s shoulder, on the side that doesn’t have his elongated pauldron to designate his rank. Rex looks up from the technology to Anakin’s eyes.

“And keep it. It’s yours.” 

Rex repeats his gratitude.

“Enjoy it.” Anakin gives Rex one of those half smiles, one of the ones where his body can’t decide how to properly convey the emotion he’s feeling. His hand, flesh and blood, falls to his side stiffly. His mouth moves, as if to say something, but he decides against it. The words are repeated on his lips, with a simple, quiet modification. A simple: “Enjoy her.” 

And with that he’s turning, walking back the way the two of them came, gloved gold fingers dancing a wave by his side. Rex stands in the alcove for a beat longer, eyes back on the hologram device in his hands.

Excitement overtakes the surprise of the gift. There’s nowhere on his person to store it, so he holds it in his armored hand and immediately heads to his bunk. The door to the small room doesn’t open fast enough, the lights turn on a hair too slow to match his beating heart. He’s met with a familiar, comforting sight: his cot, impeccably made with his down clothes folded neatly at the end. The small table and chair he does his reports at, and the little mirror that sits above it– why he needs a mirror he’ll never know, so he tries to ignore it the best he can. 

Rex sets his helmet on the table beside his charging datapad. The hologram device follows, standing out as a new and shiny object. With his glance up, he’s met with his own reflection. 

It’s perhaps the last thing he wants to see right now, not when the idea of seeing you is so close to him. On the table, so to speak. 

Running his gloved, armored hand over his head, he can feel the stubble of his hair through his scalp, from the applied pressure. He doesn’t linger long in his reflection, setting about removing the gauntlets, letting them rest beside his helmet. The rest of his armor gets stacked neatly into the utilitarian chest at the foot of his bed, leaving the lid open. 

He casts a glance at his down clothes. He’s been given no time frame as to when he would be expected next, and the alarm could go off at any moment. 

There’s no time to shower. Rex pulls your frequency out from under his mattress. The note has worn down, the crease notable through your handwriting, the edges worn from being opened and closed so many times. But the information that resides there, the little calligraphic kiss, has not been compromised. 

A deep breath moves through his lungs as he tries to calm his beating heart. He sits at his little table, turning on the hologram device. It beeps awake, blue light rising out in a spiral. On the simple electronic pad, Rex taps in your number from memory. How could he not have it memorized by this point? 

The number is accepted, and a ball spirals up and down the light as it waits for a connection. As Rex waits for you to pick up. 

It’s 2:45 am. You’re asleep, alone, and you’ve given yourself a break from the performance of femininity for the evening. Swaddled in your weighted blanket and cotton comforter, your cheek is smushed against a pillow, the rest a mess around and under you. Instead of anything silken or linen, delicate and expecting, you’re in an old, ratty t-shirt that you keep to ‘dry your hair with.’ The hair, which was dried that evening with a microfiber towel, is tucked away in a bonnet to preserve both its texture and your sanity come morning. You breathe easily, thanks in part to your dehumidifier, fans, and nasal strip keeping your nostrils open.

There’s a ringing sound, on your family’s farm. You’re… yourself. Or some version of yourself, where you’re beaked and your hair falls to the floor, turning into the wheat that your uncle will harvest come the rise of the autumn moons. And there’s that ringing sound again, melodic and rhythmic coming from the sun. Or is it the wind? You aren’t alone in the wheat field, no, you turn to try and locate who might be with you and–

The ringing is your hologram disc. Bleary eyed, you come into consciousness. Throat and head ache from lack of water. The hologram disc. On your forearms, you grapple for the device, raising it up to see who could possibly be calling you at this hour… Probably Jolie, or maybe Misha with some divine intervention to your weird dream, or maybe it’s that private investigator the museum’s hired, who thinks he’s privy to all your time–

An unknown frequency flashes across the screen. Groaning, you let it fall back on the table as your head falls back into your pillow. 

Consciousness taps you. It’s an unknown number. 

Sitting up, perhaps a little dreamy from sleep still, you answer the call while you reach for your water glass. There’s a few moments, while you’re gulping down water, that you don’t hear anything. 

Then the call connects. 

The hologram flurries as it fully connects, wobbling as the frequencies find their bearings in the old walls of your apartment. And you were right to be a little dreamy– coming out of your device is a little, blue-hued Rex. You can see him from the ribs up, blacks tight against his figure. You press your palms to your eyes, trying to dissipate some of the sleep there. Instead you’re met with the petroleum jelly you’ve slathered yourself in. 

Luckily, you’re still half asleep and have no time to be mortified over your appearance. Not when you’re leaning over to click on your lamp.

On Rex’s end, the call is blank for a few moments, the technology working overtime to try and find a person through the darkness. Then, suddenly, you’re there. Well, it’s your shirt at first. Then you, as you lean back, still trying to get sleep out of your eyes with a finger dipping around your tear duct.

“Rex?” You ask. There’s a roughness to your words, still caught on sleep. 

Your name leaves his lips in a little breath. His heart accelerates, pounding in his chest. 

“I’m sorry it took me so long to call,” Rex says, rubbing his hands over his thighs. The material of his blacks is artificially smooth to his touch. 

“‘S okay,” you say, covering your mouth to stifle a yawn. That dream, the one you can’t remember any longer but yearn for, still clings to you. “What’s up?” 

“Nothing, really. We just got back in from Zakuul.” His heart won’t stop beating so fast. Rex brings a hand up to rub over his chest in a diagonal movement that does little to soothe. This is almost more nerve wracking than seeing you in person. Almost. 

You hum, eyes slowly adjusting to the brightness. Nonetheless, you invite Rex into your life once more, picking up the device and setting it atop one of your pillows. You arrange a few pillows so you can lean up against your headboard. “I’ve never heard of it. What’s it like?” 

“It’s swampland. Real nasty.” Gods, is this classified information? 

“How was the wildlife?” You ask, swiping the last of the sleep from your eyes away. 

“We got attacked by these big spiders—” 

“Oh, ew.” You shiver slightly and rub your arm. “I’m terrified of spiders.” 

“I don’t blame you.” Rex chuckles, lifting his hands up as a sign he would stop talking about it. He spares you the details, spares telling you the relief it was to be killing non-sentient beings. The lack of thought that went into it, the ease of it not sending a shiver down his spine if he thought about it for too long.“There were also these hairy hooved beings. Real bull-like.”

Humming, you let your eyes scan over Rex. Part of you wishes that you could see the room around him, get a glimpse into his own surroundings as he’s nestled into yours. “But you’re in one piece.” 

“I refuse to die in a swamp,” Rex states, hands coming to rest by his stomach. Careful to not cross his arms. 

You smile softly at that. “You know, swamps will mummify people under the right conditions. If it’s cold enough.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah. Learned about it in this book I’m reading.” 

“They still have you posted up at work?” 

He remembers. As if Rex doesn’t replay every moment of your meetings over and over again to make sure he can recall it all perfectly. 

“Yeah. I don’t have to pack my lunch anymore though, they’re letting me leave for it. I was getting tired of eating the same sandwich or salad for lunch everyday.” 

“What were you making?” 

You smile, mostly just because he’s asking. It makes you feel a little silly. “It’s this tomato basil bread from the bakery, which is really the best part of the sandwich. And then it’s greens and little chopped up cherry tomatoes with hot peppers and red onions. And there’s hummus on it. You’d probably like it.” 

“It sounds good,” Rex says, then, “There’s no meat on it.” Meals on the cruisers, while rations, were put together special to ensure that troopers were getting enough of every food group. Even if the fruit requirement was normally a few beige pills. 

“I’ll put chicken on yours if I ever make it for you,” you compromise. “How does that sound?” 

“Sounds good,” Rex says. He pauses. Truly takes in your outfit– a big tshirt and a bonnet, no makeup. You’re still the prettiest girl he’s ever seen. “What time is there?” 

“Oh,” you look off to the side, where your alarm clock flashes red. “It’s 2:51.” 

“In the morning?” 

“Yeah, but it’s okay. I’ve been waiting for you to call me…” 

“Were you sleeping?” 

He sounds so concerned, looks so concerned with his brows pinching together, it makes your heart flip. You slide your fingers under the collar of your shirt for a moment, tugging at it before releasing. “Yeah. But it’s okay. I think I was dreaming about you anyways.” 

The tips of Rex’s ears darken through the hologram, you can imagine they’re turning that cute shade of pink. 

“Really?” He asks. 

You rub your arm, smiling and looking down. “Yeah… at least I think so. I don’t know, I don’t remember my dreams all too often… sometimes my friend, the astrologist, sometimes she hypnotizes me to get me to remember them, but they’re always weird…” 

Rex’s tongue darts out to wet his bottom lip. His heart hasn’t stopped pounding in his chest. 

“What do you dream about?” You ask Rex. 

Rex pauses, glancing to the side, debating if he should lie. His eyes land on his armor, then back up to you. He’s a shit liar. “Nightmares, mostly.” It feels like a lie. He doesn’t have nightmares in your bed. 

Your brows pinch in sympathy. “That’s awful. What are they about?” 

“I don’t remember,” Rex answers truthfully. 

You hum, and leave the subject alone. No point in dwelling on the horrors. “What got you to finally call me?” 

“I finally got…” Rex decides to not tell you that he didn’t have a communication device prior to ten minutes ago. “Got clearance. Making sure everything is untraceable.” 

“Ah. I see.” The exhaustion begins to catch up with you. You yawn, despite yourself, quick to cover it with your hand. “Is it in your clearance to tell me what you’ve been up to today?”

“Uh, yeah. I’ve been having downtime… had to write up this report. But I went into the media library the other day and I found this documentary on Endor. I was going to watch it tonight…” Rex rubs his hand over his head. 

Your eyes light up, brows raising. “Really?” 

“Yeah! Yeah, it’s called… hang on…” Rex reaches for his datapad and unlocks it, scrolling to his media library and opening it up. “It’s called Endor Awakens. It was made a while ago… but I saw it when I was scrolling through the database and thought of you…” 

“You should bring it here and watch it with me instead,” you say, wistfully. Dreamily. With that tinge of sleep. Of want. Your hand slides over the pillow he sits upon, pinky tapping against the hologram disc thrice before your movements still. 

Rex chuckles at that, smiling like a fool. “Yeah, I’d like that.” The datapad clinks back onto the table from where it came.

“Are you able to tell me where you are right now?” You ask, genuinely curious. 

“Not really…” Rex trails off. He’s not quite sure where he is… Somewhere near the Outer Rim, he thinks. Still in Republic territory, but bordering on where the control of the darkness of space turns to the Huttese. “But it would take me a long time to get back to Naboo. Even through hyperdrive.” 

“You’re so brave for using hyperdrive,” you say, slowly sinking down into your bed. Rex watches, as the duvet engulfs you once more. It has a different pattern on it, from what he remembers. 

“Did you get a new blanket?” Rex asks. 

You look down at your comforter, running your hand over it. It’s a soft cream color with little flowers embroidered on it. It makes you feel like a little girl. 

“I just got a new duvet cover. ‘S cotton. Real soft. My pillows match it too.” 

“What happened to your other ones?” 

“Oh. I spilt red wine all over them. And I couldn’t get the stain out, so now they’re at the dry cleaners.”

“Red wine?” 

“I was having a little girls night and we came in here to play in my closet… Ended up spilling a glass of wine tripping over some shoes.” You wrap your arms around your fluffy duvet, holding it under your cheek as you gaze at the hologram. Despite your wishes, your eyelids feel heavy, the calmness of the call washing over you. “When am I going to see you again?” 

 “I don’t know. Soon, I hope.” 

Humming, you nod at that. “I hope so soon too…” 

“Hey,” Rex’s voice has you opening your eyes again. Once they’re open, Rex continues, “I’ll let you go to sleep, alright?” 

“No… just stay on while I fall back asleep,” you mumble. You should turn off the light. Arrange the pillows back so you’re only sleeping on one. But your bed is comfortable. You’re curled around your hologram device, knees tucked and it sits in the open space by your hips. “Tell me about somethin’ boring.” 

Rex swallows. He can’t say no to a request like that. So he settles back in the stiff chair, playing with his dog tags. 

“The fuel for star cruisers is actually stored and transported through carbon-freezing. The rooms that hold the barrels of it, along with the barrels, are made of solid carbonite. You need a special suit to access those areas, and only a few people have them because they’re so difficult to make. They have to be able to withstand the pressure changes too, because the coldness affects the PSI of the area. When we get fresh foods, like fruits and vegetables and meat, that isn’t dehydrated, it’s brought carbon-frozen…” 

He watches as sleep consumes you. As your eyelids flutter shut. As the little smile on your face evens out, as your lips puff up from being smushed against the pillow, before your mouth closes. Rex eventually trails himself off, watching you sleep. He wishes he could reach through and turn off the light, but that technology hasn’t been invented yet. 

Instead, he sits and watches. Until there’s a clamoring outside his room, his brothers talking to each other, that causes the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up. 

“Good night,” he whispers, to not be overheard, before ending the call. He tucks the hologram device along with your note under his pillow again, smoothing out the fabric over it. The footsteps outside his room pad away from him. 

Rex closes his eyes, scolding himself for hanging up so early. Then, he steels himself, and begins putting his armor back on. There’s always something he can be doing for the betterment of the Republic. Isn’t there?

[iamdispleased]

What’s Happening With Lumon, MDR, O&D, and Gemma

Buckle up, cowboys.

Spoilers: Severance, The Lexington Letters

My theory is that Lumon is a sort of shadow government in expansion. The Lumon building is a military base/bunker. While not the only thing Lumon does, Lumon makes weapons, particularly bombs. They probably made or are making nuclear weapons. O&D designs the weapons and run Lumon’s equivalent to the ENIAC. MDR locate where to use the weapons and deploy them, similar to radarmen. I also think Lumon used MDR to cause Gemma’s car wreck.

02/09/25 Edit: I just read Ricken’s book, The You You Are, and it totally decimated my Gemma theory. So, never mind about that.

03/21/24 Edit: LOL.

Petey’s map of the Lumon building heavily resembles a military base or bunker. The technology and aesthetic they use gives me old school military/N.A.S.A. vibes. The way it’s shot when Mark pulls out his locker’s drawer reminds me of a scene in a war movie or flashback— especially with the way his watch looks like a compass.

As I said, MDR are similar to radarmen. Radarmen first appeared during WWII in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard. Part of the radarman’s duties was to detect and track vessels through radar equipment, find target locations for attacks (like bombings), and operate the Identification Friend or Foe system, or IFF.

The IFF system, also known as the Mark Identification Friend or Foe system, is an electronic system developed during WWII that military forces used to identify whether an aircraft or vessel detected on radar was friendly or an enemy. This could be why MDR focuses on “scary numbers”. The “scary numbers” represent enemies.

A macrodata refiner’s job description is to “remove impurities from data and reorganize it in its purest form”, and at first I thought MDR was creating atomic bombs specifically, because what is more pure than the atom? But now I could see this as MDR is locating Lumon’s enemies (imperfections) and bombing them (removing them); therefore, making the world/society (data) pure. By ‘pure’, I mean the, “Cleanse the world of our sins,” type pure.

Since radarmen are specifically related to the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard, it would make sense as to why Irv is told his outie can swim gracefully and likes the sound of radar, which is what he named his dog after. In the 1970s, the radarman’s duties was split into a few separate jobs. The one MDR seems to resemble the most are Operation Specialist.

O&D design the weapons MDR uses, and seem to be running a machine like the ENIAC. The ENIAC is a big ole computer developed during WWII. It performed calculations for artillery firing tables, the construction of the hydrogen bomb, atomic energy, thermal ignition, and more.

MDR’s file names also clue in on this, with pretty much all of them having events associated with, wars, uprisings and the like.

Pacoima, a file Irv works on, is the name of a neighborhood in Los Angeles. A few screw-ups from radarmen have occurred there, like the 1957 Pacoima mid-air collision.

Moonbeam was the name of a Mustang fighter-bomber aircraft built during WWII.

In the Lexington Letters, Peg, a former MDR employee, thinks that her finishing the Lexington file caused one of Lumon’s competitors trucks to explode, ending with two employees being *burned* alive in the truck and four bystanders’ deaths. The company’s name was Dorner Therapeutics.

I believe Gemma ‘died’ in that accident. The connection to a therapeutics company could be the reason Miss Casey is a wellness councilor.

In 2x02, Mark says that Gemma can’t be alive, because he had to identify her burnt body. My guess is that Gemma’s body was burnt, but Lumon used some sort regenerative technology to heal her. Since Lumon ended up causing Peg to die in a car crash, I wonder if Mark took her job. (Maybe she didn’t die at all, and is in a Miss Casey situation.)

The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first major battles of the American Revolutionary War. If the Lexington file involved Gemma’s accident, then that was the start of Mark working for Lumon. It makes sense for the start of Mark’s journey to be titled Lexington, the start of the Revolutionary War.

One final note— the actual severance chip itself looks like a bomb. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if they are bombs.

And fin.

(I have just started my first rewatch of Severance, and plan to examine it deeper, but I wanted to throw this out there before it’s Too Late.)

tldr: Lumon is a growing shadow government. The Lumon building is a military base/bunker. O&D’s job is to design weapons, while MDR’s job is to locate where to use them and deploy them.

Edit: I rewatched the scene where Mark and Devon are talking in 02x02, and Mark didn’t outrightly say that Gemma’s body burned. He said, “If Ricken died and burned, I’d be sad for you.” I still take this as Gemma’s body burned, though. Mark could have just said, “If Ricken died, I’d be sad for you.” So, the addition of, “… and burned,” feels super specific. Still— my b.

[mariacallous]

Hang onto your stuff. That’s the advice right-to-repair advocates are giving anyone worried about how the tariffs will hit their wallets—and collections of electronic gadgets.

Trade tariffs touch nearly every product, especially when they’re as widespread and sky-high as the ones president Trump announced on April 3. But electronics are especially dependent on worldwide trade. Components used to assemble devices are usually built in manufacturing plants in countries like China, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Cambodia, which are now being hit with tariffs of 30 to 50 percent.

While the price increases as a result of this have not yet gone into effect—and are difficult to fully predict—these economic proclamations have already had broad repercussions. The stock market tanked in the days after Trump's announcement due to “extreme fear” in the market, according to CNN, and there have already been delays while companies assess the tariff impact, like the preorder for the recently announced Nintendo Switch 2.

The economic turmoil and uncertainty make the prospect of buying a new device, especially an already pricey smartphone, laptop, or gaming console, seem like it’s going to become a lot more expensive. And if buying something new becomes harder and harder, it makes more sense to keep what you already have going strong.

“Right to repair could not have come sooner,” says Kyle Wiens, CEO of the repairability company iFixit.

Right-to-repair efforts—actions by consumer advocates intended to raise public awareness and force companies to make devices more repairable—have been in the works for decades. In recent years, the push has made great strides. In 2024, the European Union instituted a ruling that requires companies to make devices more repairable. The right to repair has also garnered widespread bipartisan support in the US, even while in the throes of a chaotic federal administration that seems intent on dismantling many of the systems that keep the country running.

Wiens compares the moment to the early days of the Covid pandemic, a time when the future of how people would be able to get the new stuff they wanted looked similarly bleak. In 2020, Wiens wrote for WIRED that the right to repair would help foster resilience in times of uncertainty. As tariffs kick in and a global trade war ignites, the parallels start to feel very similar.

“We don't know what's going to happen,” Wiens says. “So what do we do? Well, repair is just the default.”

Wiens suggests that people should prepare for new device prices to increase by 50 percent or more. If you apply that same logic to the stuff you already have, it means that hanging onto your smartphone or laptop for another couple of years may be a much better investment then trading it in for something new.

"Just expect to keep anything that you have that's durable in any way,” Wiens says. “So durable goods—microwaves, toasters, cell phones, Nintendo Switches, whatever it is, they’re worth 50 percent more now than you thought they were.”

The tariff era will require a shift in how products are produced and reduced. Wiens says he has also been talking to workers at electronics recycling facilities and telling them not to harvest discarded products if they’re still working.

“Hey, whatever you are going to shred, stop shredding it,” Wiens says. “Whatever materials you're going to export, stop exporting it. That product's going to have more value than you thought.”

Despite the doom and gloom that watching the stock market plummet might invoke in our collective psyche, right-to-repair advocates hope this moment helps make the case for keeping devices in working order.

“I don’t feel like the sky is falling,” says Nathan Proctor, who helms the campaign for the right to repair at the consumer advocacy group PIRG. “First of all, Wall Street people are the 13-year-old girls of social commentary. Everything is total drama all the time. Let's not go overboard. Let's see how this plays out.”

Like Wiens, Proctor believes that repair makes society more resilient and will help people get through this where it can.

“It's going to be very disruptive in the short term,” Proctor says. “I'm not sure how long that's going to last or what the impact's going to be. But I do know that a more resilient society is better.”

Leo Gebbie, a principal analyst at the research firm CCS Insights says that another segment of the market that could benefit from higher tariffs are secondhand markets that sell used devices, like Backmarket. They’ve been doing quite well even before the tariffs were announced, with secondhand devices frequently bought and sold within the US. Now, that popularity is likely to increase.

“They are more cost-effective,” Gebbie says. “There is a strong supply of secondhand iPhones within the US, so for US consumers there shouldn't be a need to import those devices from elsewhere and have them subject to tariffs.”

Backmarket in particular seems to be well aware of its place in this trend, as right now it is cheekily offering a Recession Special where customers can use a code (ELON) to save 10 percent on their purchase. However, if demand for secondhand devices goes up, there could be a knock-on effect where more phones being sold in the US could lead to prices being raised across the board—including in European markets that have tended to have stronger demand for used devices than the US.

“Really we will [only] know more once we see prices change,” Gebbie says. “Obviously consumers are then in a position where they have something to react to.”

Rethinking how we repair and replace our devices already has an analogue for how to guide that behavior. The automotive industry (which is bound to feel its own impacts from the tariffs) offers an example of how to care for products long term.

“Do people buy new cars? Sure,” Wiens says. “Do they keep cars for 20 years? Absolutely. Yeah. Does anyone throw away a car because the windshield's broken? No.”

Sadly, even the repair side of things is bound to feel the effects of tariff inflation. Spare parts and tools needed to fix things depend on global manufactures as much as finished products do. Wiens, who runs a business that sells tools meant for repairing devices, says he will also directly feel the effects of the tariffs and be forced to pass the increased cost onto customers. Even then, he hopes that a silver lining in the tariff chaos will be consumers changing their buying habits.

“Let's stop buying cheap crap. Let's have fewer, nicer things, and let's use them for a long time,” Wiens says. “And so then you say, well, if we're going to stop buying new things, what do we do with the stuff? How do we take care of the things that we have? Well, that's where the right-to-repair world comes in."

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

Cadillac was founded in 1902 by Henry Leland, who named the company after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, who happens to be the founder of Detroit. Just 6 short years later Cadillac brought the idea of interchangeable parts to the automotive industry and laid the ground work for modern mass production of automobiles. As a result, Cadillac became the first American car to win the prestigious Dewar Trophy from the Royal Automobile Club of England. After earning such high praise Cadillac adopted the slogan "Standard of the World."

In 1910, Cadillac became the first company to offer a passenger car with a fully enclosed cabin, a major change from the vehicles of the time. Two years after that, in 1912, the company released the Model Thirty, the car with no crank, which was the first production car to feature an electronic self-starter, ignition, and lighting. By dropping the crank starter, Cadillac opened the door to women drivers, and was able to bring the prestigious Dewar trophy back to Detroit, making Cadillac the only car manufacturer to claim the award twice. Nearly three years later, Cadillac brought the world the V-type, water-cooled, eight cylinder (V8) engine, which would become the signature of the Cadillac brand.

The Roaring 20's was not only a big decade for the country but was also important for Cadillac. In 1926, Cadillac branched out and offered customers more than 500 color combinations to choose from. As the famous Henry Ford saying goes, you can have any color you want, as long as it's black. Cadillac changed this mentality. That same year, the company brought in designer Harley Earl to design the 1927 LaSalle convertible coupe, which made the car the first to be designed from a designer's perspective rather than an engineering one. What Earl created was elegant, with flowing lines, chrome-plate fixtures, and an overarching design philosophy, that made the Cadillac brand known for beauty and luxury.

In the middle of the 1930's a midst The Great Depression, while most companies and families were struggling Cadillac created the first V-type 16-cylinder engine for use in a passenger car. This engine would go on to be one of the most iconic engines in Cadillac history. Shortly thereafter, Cadillac released a V12 version to give buyers something between the already popular V8 and new V16 engines.

Cadillac went quiet in the 1941's when they suspended automobile production to help produce planes for the war. After the war ended Cadillac adapted some of the aircraft technology and created the first ever tailfin on a vehicle. This feature is now found on almost every car and was one of the biggest reasons that Cadillac was given the first ever Car of the Year award in 1949.

The tailfin took off rather quickly and by the mid to late 1950's it was being featured heavily in the design of nearly every vehicle. Also in the 50's Cadillac began developing power steering, which helped the automaker take third, tenth, and eleventh places at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. After Cadillac's stunning "victories" power steering quickly became the new standard of the industry.

Small but meaningful innovations filled the 1960's for Cadillac. In 1963, the company made front seatbelts standard in their vehicles, which lead to the eventual passing of a federal law requiring front seatbelts in all vehicles just one year later. Then, in 1964, Cadillac brought to market automatically controlled headlamps and redefines luxury with Comfort Control, the industry's first thermostatically controlled heating, venting, and air-conditioning system. Over the next few years, Cadillac introduced variable-ratio power steering, electric seat warmers, and stereo radio.

While the 1960's were fairly quiet, with only some smaller, luxury items being introduced, Cadillac started out 1970 with a major bang. Cadillac opened the decade by unveiling the 400 horsepower, 8.2-liter engine Eldorado. With its completely redesigned axle this model boasted the highest torque capacity of any passenger car available at the time. Closing out the decade, Cadillac brought to market the 1978 Seville which used onboard microprocessors in its digital display. This started the era of the computerized automobile.

Throughout the 1980's Cadillac laid low, working on some new technologies that would come to market in the early parts of the 1990's. The first feature to debut was an electronic traction control system on front-wheel drive vehicles. Cadillac began offering this as a standard feature on the 1990 Cadillac Allante. This same year Cadillac would go on to win the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Two years later, in 1992, the company developed a feature that allowed the engine to run for up to 50 miles without coolant, and a unique induction system for near-perfect fuel distribution. The Seville Touring Sedan of that year would become known as the "Cadillac of the Year" thanks to features such as an all electronically controlled Powertrain, traction control, anti-lock brakes and speed-sensitive suspension. Closing out the decade, Cadillac introduced the, now iconic, Escalade SUV.

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS AS 'THE STANDARD OF THE WORLD'

Coming up on the 100th anniversary of the Cadillac brand, the company had to do something big or the decade, and they did not disappoint. Cadillac started off the 200's by introducing the F-22 stealth aircraft inspired Cien Concept, which ended up winning a few design awards. Later in the decade, in 2008, Cadillac expanded the Escalade SUV by making it the world's first full-size luxury hybrid SUV. In the same year, the company redeveloped the CTS Sedan. This redesign has been incredibly popular and even won the coveted 2008 Car of the Year award. A short year later, the performance edition CTS-V, becomes the fasted V8 production sedan in the world, establishing a record lap time of 7:59:32 on Germany's famed Nürburgring.

[argumate]

Even BMW—a company that literally has "motor" for a middle name—only deigns to reveal on its i3 product page that the motor is “AC synchronous.” Meanwhile, the engine in the base-model 3 Series a few clicks over is described as a “2.0-liter BMW TwinPower Turbo inline 4-cylinder, 16-valve 180-hp engine that combines a twin-scroll turbocharger with variable valve control (Double-VANOS and Valvetronic) and high-precision direct injection.” That's before the site goes on to describe the engine’s electronic throttle control, auto start-stop function, direct ignition system with knock control, electronically controlled engine cooling (map cooling), brake energy regeneration, and driving dynamics control with Eco Pro, Comfort, and Sport settings.

But then, it's hard to blame people for not giving a damn. Most consumers—hell, even car geeks—don’t possess the knowledge or vocabulary to authoritatively converse about electric motors, and on the surface, there would seem to be precious little indication that there’s even anything meaningful to discuss about them. It’s a lot harder to get excited about, say, the difference between permanent magnets and AC induction than it is between V8s and twin-turbo sixes. The fact that carmakers and the media don’t billboard motor innovation naturally leads the public to assume that there’s nothing much going on there.

interesting the way marketing focuses on the battery, which obviously has been the major development in the tech overall

[sngl-led-auto-lights]

Why do car headlights work without the keys in the ignition? Why has it been designed that way? Most of the electronics don't, what purpose is there in allowing the headlights to work other than making it easy to get a flat battery?

Car headlights are designed to work ​​without the ignition on for critical safety, legal, and practical reasons​​—despite the risk of battery drain. Here’s why this design persists and how modern cars mitigate downsides:

🛠️ ​​Key Reasons for Ignition-Independent Headlights​​

​​Emergency & Safety Use Cases​​

​​Roadside Emergencies​​: Change a tire, inspect damage, or signal distress in the dark without draining the engine.

​​Parked Visibility​​: Warn oncoming traffic if stalled in a hazardous location (e.g., fog, curves, low-visibility areas).

​​Personal Safety​​: Illuminate surroundings when entering/exiting the vehicle at night.

​​Legal Requirements​​

UNECE Regulation 48 (adopted globally) mandates independent exterior light controls for hazards and low beams.

In the EU/US, ​​parking lights​​ (which share circuits with headlights) must operate without ignition to comply with road safety laws.

​​Practical Functionality​​

​​Detachable Key Systems​​: Older cars with physical keys allowed drivers to remove the key but keep lights on for tasks (e.g., loading groceries).

​​Power Accessory Mode​​: Many modern cars support "ACC" mode (ignition off, lights/radio on).

​​Anti-Theft/Stealth Benefits​​

​​"Bulb Check"​​: Mechanics/testing facilities need to operate lights during inspections without starting the engine.

Leaving lights on briefly can deter break-ins in dimly lit areas.

🔋 ​​Why Other Electronics Don't Work​​

Most systems (radio, infotainment, power windows) drain the battery faster or aren’t safety-critical:

​​Higher Power Draw​​: Infotainment (10–30A) vs. LED headlights (2–8A).

​​Non-Essential​​: Entertainment systems aren’t needed in emergencies.

⚠️ ​​Mitigating Battery Drain: Modern Solutions​​

​​Automatic Headlight Shutoff​​: Most cars made after ~2005 turn off lights after 5–30 minutes (e.g., Toyota "Lights-Off," GM "Battery Saver").

​​Audible Alarms​​: Chimes if headlights are on when the driver’s door opens.

​​LED Upgrades​​: Draw ~75% less power than halogens (e.g., 20W vs. 55W).

​​Deep-Sleep Mode​​: Some vehicles (e.g., Tesla) disable non-critical loads if voltage drops below 11.8V.

🚗 ​​Notable Exceptions​​

​​Hybrids/EVs​​: Headlights run off the accessory battery (separate from the main drive battery), reducing stall risk.

​​Keyless-Entry Cars​​: Often require the key fob to be inside the car to power lights.

💡 Why Designers Accept This "Flaw"

The risk of occasional battery drain is outweighed by ​​life-saving utility​​—especially in emergencies where seconds count. As one engineer put it: "We design for the stalled car on a dark highway first, not the driver who forgets lights."

​​Pro Tip​​: If your car lacks auto-off:

Stick a note on your dash until muscle memory develops.

Use ​​parking lights​​ (if available) instead of headlights for short stops—they draw less power.

Modern designs prioritize safety, but battery protection has improved drastically—making this "legacy quirk" far less risky than it once was. 🔋🔧

[herecomesthementalmeltdown]

there are two types of anime power systems:

"i survived the fall because of the power of love! :3"

and

"Organometallic chemistry is the study of organometallic compounds, chemical compounds containing at least one chemical bond between a carbon atom of an organic molecule and a metal, including alkali, alkaline earth, and transition metals, and sometimes broadened to include metalloids like boron, silicon, and selenium, as well.[1][2] Aside from bonds to organyl fragments or molecules, bonds to 'inorganic' carbon, like carbon monoxide (metal carbonyls), cyanide, or carbide, are generally considered to be organometallic as well. Some related compounds such as transition metal hydrides and metal phosphine complexes are often included in discussions of organometallic compounds, though strictly speaking, they are not necessarily organometallic. The related but distinct term "metalorganic compound" refers to metal-containing compounds lacking direct metal-carbon bonds but which contain organic ligands. Metal β-diketonates, alkoxides, dialkylamides, and metal phosphine complexes are representative members of this class. The field of organometallic chemistry combines aspects of traditional inorganic and organic chemistry.[3]

Organometallic compounds are widely used both stoichiometrically in research and industrial chemical reactions, as well as in the role of catalysts to increase the rates of such reactions (e.g., as in uses of homogeneous catalysis), where target molecules include polymers, pharmaceuticals, and many other types of practical products.

Most organometallic compounds are solids at room temperature, however some are liquids such as methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl, or even volatile liquids such as nickel tetracarbonyl.[1] Many organometallic compounds are air sensitive (reactive towards oxygen and moisture), and thus they must be handled under an inert atmosphere.[1] Some organometallic compounds such as triethylaluminium are pyrophoric and will ignite on contact with air.[6]

As in other areas of chemistry, electron counting is useful for organizing organometallic chemistry. The 18-electron rule is helpful in predicting the stabilities of organometallic complexes, for example metal carbonyls and metal hydrides. The 18e rule has two representative electron counting models, ionic and neutral (also known as covalent) ligand models, respectively.[7] The hapticity of a metal-ligand complex, can influence the electron count.[7] Hapticity (η, lowercase Greek eta), describes the number of contiguous ligands coordinated to a metal.[7] For example, ferrocene, [(η5-C5H5)2Fe], has two cyclopentadienyl ligands giving a hapticity of 5, where all five carbon atoms of the C5H5 ligand bond equally and contribute one electron to the iron center. Ligands that bind non-contiguous atoms are denoted the Greek letter kappa, κ.[7] Chelating κ2-acetate is an example. The covalent bond classification method identifies three classes of ligands, X,L, and Z; which are based on the electron donating interactions of the ligand. Many organometallic compounds do not follow the 18e rule. The metal atoms in organometallic compounds are frequently described by their d electron count and oxidation state. These concepts can be used to help predict their reactivity and preferred geometry. Chemical bonding and reactivity in organometallic compounds is often discussed from the perspective of the isolobal principle.

A wide variety of physical techniques are used to determine the structure, composition, and properties of organometallic compounds. X-ray diffraction is a particularly important technique that can locate the positions of atoms within a solid compound, providing a detailed description of its structure.[1][8] Other techniques like infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy are also frequently used to obtain information on the structure and bonding of organometallic compounds.[1][8] Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy is a common technique used to obtain information on the electronic structure of organometallic compounds. It is also used monitor the progress of organometallic reactions, as well as determine their kinetics.[8] The dynamics of organometallic compounds can be studied using dynamic NMR spectroscopy.[1] Other notable techniques include X-ray absorption spectroscopy,[9] electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and elemental analysis.[1][8]

Due to their high reactivity towards oxygen and moisture, organometallic compounds often must be handled using air-free techniques. Air-free handling of organometallic compounds typically requires the use of laboratory apparatuses such as a glovebox or Schlenk line.[1]

Early developments in organometallic chemistry include Louis Claude Cadet's synthesis of methyl arsenic compounds related to cacodyl, William Christopher Zeise's[10] platinum-ethylene complex,[11] Edward Frankland's discovery of diethyl- and dimethylzinc, Ludwig Mond's discovery of Ni(CO)4,[1] and Victor Grignard's organomagnesium compounds. (Although not always acknowledged as an organometallic compound, Prussian blue, a mixed-valence iron-cyanide complex, was first prepared in 1706 by paint maker Johann Jacob Diesbach as the first coordination polymer and synthetic material containing a metal-carbon bond.[12]) The abundant and diverse products from coal and petroleum led to Ziegler–Natta, Fischer–Tropsch, hydroformylation catalysis which employ CO, H2, and alkenes as feedstocks and ligands.

Recognition of organometallic chemistry as a distinct subfield culminated in the Nobel Prizes to Ernst Fischer and Geoffrey Wilkinson for work on metallocenes. In 2005, Yves Chauvin, Robert H. Grubbs and Richard R. Schrock shared the Nobel Prize for metal-catalyzed olefin metathesis.[13]

Organometallic chemistry timeline

edit

1760 Louis Claude Cadet de Gassicourt isolates the organoarsenic compound cacodyl

1827 William Christopher Zeise produces Zeise's salt; the first platinum / olefin complex

1848 Edward Frankland discovers diethylzinc

1890 Ludwig Mond discovers nickel carbonyl

1899 John Ulric Nef discovers alkynylation using sodium acetylides.

1909 Paul Ehrlich introduces Salvarsan for the treatment of syphilis, an early arsenic based organometallic compound

1912 Nobel Prize Victor Grignard and Paul Sabatier

1930 Henry Gilman invents lithium cuprates, see Gilman reagent

1940 Eugene G. Rochow and Richard Müller discover the direct process for preparing organosilicon compounds

1930's and 1940's Otto Roelen and Walter Reppe develop metal-catalyzed hydroformylation and acetylene chemistry

1951 Walter Hieber was awarded the Alfred Stock prize for his work with metal carbonyl chemistry.

1951 Ferrocene is discovered

1956 Dorothy Crawfoot Hodgkin determines the structure of vitamin B12, the first biomolecule found to contain a metal-carbon bond, see bioorganometallic chemistry

1963 Nobel prize for Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta on Ziegler–Natta catalyst

1973 Nobel prize Geoffrey Wilkinson and Ernst Otto Fischer on sandwich compounds

1981 Nobel prize Roald Hoffmann and Kenichi Fukui for creation of the Woodward-Hoffman Rules

2001 Nobel prize W. S. Knowles, R. Noyori and Karl Barry Sharpless for asymmetric hydrogenation

2005 Nobel prize Yves Chauvin, Robert Grubbs, and Richard Schrock on metal-catalyzed alkene metathesis

2010 Nobel prize Richard F. Heck, Ei-ichi Negishi, Akira Suzuki for palladium catalyzed cross coupling reactions

Subspecialty areas of organometallic chemistry include:

Period 2 elements: organolithium chemistry, organoberyllium chemistry, organoborane chemistry

Period 3 elements: organosodium chemistry, organomagnesium chemistry, organoaluminium chemistry, organosilicon chemistry

Period 4 elements: organocalcium chemistry, organoscandium chemistry, organotitanium chemistry, organovanadium chemistry, organochromium chemistry, organomanganese chemistry, organoiron chemistry, organocobalt chemistry, organonickel chemistry, organocopper chemistry, organozinc chemistry, organogallium chemistry, organogermanium chemistry, organoarsenic chemistry, organoselenium chemistry

Period 5 elements: organoyttrium chemistry, organozirconium chemistry, organoniobium chemistry, organomolybdenum chemistry, organotechnetium chemistry, organoruthenium chemistry, organorhodium chemistry, organopalladium chemistry, organosilver chemistry, organocadmium chemistry, organoindium chemistry, organotin chemistry, organoantimony chemistry, organotellurium chemistry

Period 6 elements: organolanthanide chemistry, organocerium chemistry, organotantalum chemistry, organotungsten chemistry, organorhenium chemistry, organoosmium chemistry, organoiridium chemistry, organoplatinum chemistry, organogold chemistry, organomercury chemistry, organothallium chemistry, organolead chemistry, organobismuth chemistry, organopolonium chemistry

Period 7 elements: organoactinide chemistry, organothorium chemistry, organouranium chemistry, organoneptunium chemistry

Organometallic compounds find wide use in commercial reactions, both as homogenous catalysts and as stoichiometric reagents. For instance, organolithium, organomagnesium, and organoaluminium compounds, examples of which are highly basic and highly reducing, are useful stoichiometrically but also catalyze many polymerization reactions.[14]

Almost all processes involving carbon monoxide rely on catalysts, notable examples being described as carbonylations.[15] The production of acetic acid from methanol and carbon monoxide is catalyzed via metal carbonyl complexes in the Monsanto process and Cativa process. Most synthetic aldehydes are produced via hydroformylation. The bulk of the synthetic alcohols, at least those larger than ethanol, are produced by hydrogenation of hydroformylation-derived aldehydes. Similarly, the Wacker process is used in the oxidation of ethylene to acetaldehyde.[16]

Almost all industrial processes involving alkene-derived polymers rely on organometallic catalysts. The world's polyethylene and polypropylene are produced via both heterogeneously via Ziegler–Natta catalysis and homogeneously, e.g., via constrained geometry catalysts.[17]

Most processes involving hydrogen rely on metal-based catalysts. Whereas bulk hydrogenations (e.g., margarine production) rely on heterogeneous catalysts, for the production of fine chemicals such hydrogenations rely on soluble (homogenous) organometallic complexes or involve organometallic intermediates.[18] Organometallic complexes allow these hydrogenations to be effected asymmetrically.

Many semiconductors are produced from trimethylgallium, trimethylindium, trimethylaluminium, and trimethylantimony. These volatile compounds are decomposed along with ammonia, arsine, phosphine and related hydrides on a heated substrate via metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) process in the production of light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

Organometallic compounds undergo several important reactions:

associative and dissociative substitution

oxidative addition and reductive elimination

transmetalation

migratory insertion

β-hydride elimination

electron transfer

carbon-hydrogen bond activation

carbometalation

hydrometalation

cyclometalation

nucleophilic abstraction

The synthesis of many organic molecules are facilitated by organometallic complexes. Sigma-bond metathesis is a synthetic method for forming new carbon-carbon sigma bonds. Sigma-bond metathesis is typically used with early transition-metal complexes that are in their highest oxidation state.[19] Using transition-metals that are in their highest oxidation state prevents other reactions from occurring, such as oxidative addition. In addition to sigma-bond metathesis, olefin metathesis is used to synthesize various carbon-carbon pi bonds. Neither sigma-bond metathesis or olefin metathesis change the oxidation state of the metal.[20][21] Many other methods are used to form new carbon-carbon bonds, including beta-hydride elimination and insertion reactions.

Organometallic complexes are commonly used in catalysis. Major industrial processes include hydrogenation, hydrosilylation, hydrocyanation, olefin metathesis, alkene polymerization, alkene oligomerization, hydrocarboxylation, methanol carbonylation, and hydroformylation.[16] Organometallic intermediates are also invoked in many heterogeneous catalysis processes, analogous to those listed above. Additionally, organometallic intermediates are assumed for Fischer–Tropsch process.

Organometallic complexes are commonly used in small-scale fine chemical synthesis as well, especially in cross-coupling reactions[22] that form carbon-carbon bonds, e.g. Suzuki-Miyaura coupling,[23] Buchwald-Hartwig amination for producing aryl amines from aryl halides,[24] and Sonogashira coupling, etc.

Natural and contaminant organometallic compounds are found in the environment. Some that are remnants of human use, such as organolead and organomercury compounds, are toxicity hazards. Tetraethyllead was prepared for use as a gasoline additive but has fallen into disuse because of lead's toxicity. Its replacements are other organometallic compounds, such as ferrocene and methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT).[25] The organoarsenic compound roxarsone is a controversial animal feed additive. In 2006, approximately one million kilograms of it were produced in the U.S alone.[26] Organotin compounds were once widely used in anti-fouling paints but have since been banned due to environmental concerns.[27]"

[boxboxblog]

How Do F1 Cars Work?: Power, Transmit, Suspend

Alright part 2 everyone. Let's go.

1.Power Units

You have probably heard lots of yammering about power unit components before. Things like 'they took on too many and now have a grid penalty' are common to hear. But what is the power unit, and what does that mean?

So the power unit refers to the engine system that helps power the car. The modern F1 car is a hybrid, a mix between a typical Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and Energy Recover Systems (ERS). The modern F1 ICE is a 1.6 liter V6 turbocharged engine and can rev up to 15,000 RPM. It uses gasoline and generates a majority of the power. I've explained how it works in an older post, but briefly it compresses air and fuel and ignites it to create combustion which generates energy. The turbocharger is a part of the ICE that helps condense air more, in turn forcing the engine to create more energy.

The ERS has two components. The first is Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic (MGU-K), which recovers energy from braking, stores it in the battery (which stores energy from the two units), and can be used as a boost to power. The second is Motor Generator Unit- Heat (MGU-H). This unit recovers heat energy from the turbocharger and converts it to electrical energy. It can either charge the battery directly or assist the ICE.

When teams get in trouble taking too many power units it essentially means they have replaced something like the MGU-H too many times. There is a cap for how many times you can replace a power unit component, but with the addition of more races every year the FIA is under pressure to increase this limit. Almost every single car takes the penalty at some point.

2. Transmission

The transmission is the semi-automatic gear box inside of F1 cars, which for them is 8-speed. It is located at the rear of the car and connects to the power unit. This is a part of the car that is famous for having issues, and often when a drivers car retires it is due to a gear box failure. With paddle shifters located under the steering wheel, drivers can change the gear in which they are driving. Different gears effect the traction, grip, fuel economy, and speed of the car and are used strategically throughout the race. Part of the transmission is the differential. The differential distributes power between the rear wheels when cornering, allowing the inside tire to rotate slower than the outside tire. The final majorly important part of the transmission is the clutch. In F1 the clutch, which is a device that connects the engine and transmission to the car is automated and controlled by electronics. It is usually used when starting the race or leaving the pit lane.

Grip levels, cornering speeds, and straight-line speeds all play a crucial role in gear ratio calculations. The teams have to find the perfect balance between acceleration, top speed, and adaptability. The team’s engineers use advanced simulations and data analysis to calculate the optimal ratios for each gear. They also take into account factors like tire wear and fuel consumption to fine-tune their calculations. All of this information can be gathered from electronic data gatherers inside of the car, running simulations, and also the drivers reporting themselves. Its why radio communication is so important in F1. This decision can make or break a race, and we have seen drivers lose due to an incorrect gear decision.

3. Suspension

The suspension system works to keep the tires in contact with the road and helps absorb the shocks F1 cars experience. This is created through a variety of springs, shock absorbers, sway bars, etc. Without the suspension, the chassis would be experiencing the full extent of the shaking and pressure, which would do damage to the car and be very painful for the driver. Anytime you see a driver shaking like crazy in the car, it usually means there is something off with the suspension. Suspension also allows the force of the bumps and the kinetic energy to be stored by a spring, which is then compressed, absorbing the energy transferred by that bump in the road and allowing all four tires to grip the road. The biggest difference between street car suspension and F1 suspension is that in an F1 car each tire is independently sprung, which means that they move on their own, useful around corners.

In F1 cars they have a pushrod or pullrod suspension. These systems transfer pressure from the wheels to the suspension dampers and springs. In a push-rod system, the rocker arms are placed at the highest point in the car. As such, the rod is under pressure as it transfers compression forces upwards into the rocker arms. In a pull-rod system however, the rocker arms are located between the upper and lower control arms, at the center of the car This means every time it hits a bump or curb, the wheel pulls on the spring which causes the pull-rod to go up and outwards from the chassis. Both are regularly used suspension types.

Teams regularly change how their suspension is functioning, and it is by far one of the most tweaked systems on the car. Truly, a weak suspension can make any car one of the slowest cars on the grid. So next time you hear a. driver complain about how slow they are on the straights, or how much their back hurts, it usually means their suspension is not where it should be.

That's all for this post, next one should be about braking, the various electronics/sensors, cooling systems, and wrap up of how everything works together.

Cheers,

-B

[oddi-verse]

Stuff to know about: Sparks!!

Sparks are the "Magic system" of Earth

The history of Sparks

For as far back in Earth's history as we can look, there have been Sparks. Little pieces of pure energy and power. Anything could be born with a Spark, which would normally lie dormant inside them until an event properly traumatic or intense enough for the spark to ignite. Giving the Sparked individual some sort of ability or power.

The Science of Sparks

While various plants and animals throughout Earth's natural history (and even some aliens but we'll get back to that) have been shown to have Sparks ignited, there is no creature in the cosmos that its as common as humans.

While any other given species has about a 0.05% chance of even having a Spark, Humans have a whopping 10% chance of being born with a Spark. These numbers, of course don't account for the likelihood that someone would have an event dangerous enough to ignite the Spark inside them, and also survive said event.

Sparks are as small as an electron when unignited, they produce a near imperceptible amount of light, only science's most advanced microscopes can even see the light they produce. Once ignited the Spark will grow to a size noticeable by normal classroom microscopes and their glow intensifies 20 fold.

If a Sparked individual (with it ignited or not) dies with their the Spark keeps glowing and radiating power until it is acted upon by anything other than the original Spark holder. at which point it is permanently rendered inert and cannot be repowered in any way.

A potential alien with a Spark can only have that spark ignited on Earth. Aliens with Sparks are more rare, there have only ever been a few recorded cases of it even happening.

[emiliasgarage]

MR2 Adventures Part 2: The Beginning

Yesterday was a big day for my 1986 Toyota MR2 as it was the first time it had started in a while. The day before had been spent going over every single ground in the car and replacing it according to the factory BGB. I determined my ignition switch harness to be correct for the year and managed to start narrowing down problems, unfortunately after already ripping out the interior to try to trace a broken wire. I drew my attention to my ignition switch knowing there were two ignition circuits AM1 and AM2. AM1 being accessories, lights and electronics, AM2 being the starting and ignition system. AM1 was getting a perfect 12.5V and AM2 was only getting .7V, at this point I decided to check the AM2 fuse to find it blown. I replace it, crank it again and it blows. I notice the ignition switch gets hot when I do this so I swapped it for an AE92 ignition switch I had laying around, and sure enough she fired up!

[ourtalechara]

Don't ask what I'm doing I'm not doing anything (VBS Data Stream guys look at it)

Kohane An Akito Toya and Luka

(actually nice and finished looking lyrics under cut)

Eventually, all walls meet demolition

So Wall Street had to keep the tradition

Their financial systems resigned to ignition

And out of the ashes, we have arisen

An empire is forged in the fire of ambition

In business, there isn't the time for attrition

Invest to suppress then ingest competition

Then each acquisition is new ammunition

When governments crumble and fall to the floor

That was paved with the graves of a corporate war

A fundament funded in blood just to shore

A foundation for founding our covenant

Born of a need for control of societal entropy

Enterprise at the price of your indemnity

Chart out the course and of course you were meant to be

Bent to the will of a corporate entity

Arasaka Security. You're in safe hands

We're the light in your screens, we're the lead in your veins

Then you wake from your dreams, so we can sell them again

In the light we distract with the shiny and new

So you're blind to the fact that the product is you

So let your brain dance and replay the dream

But don't drown in the data stream

'Cause we see where you are and we see where you go

'Cause we know what you own and we own what you know

From the top of all our towers, the corridors of power clearly need rewiring

Arasaka saw the spark and then embarked upon the path to turn that spark to lightning

There's no autonomous megalopolis so populous or prosperous you could reside in

And every citizen that's living in this city is a digit on the charts we're climbing

Political systems are too inefficient

They split like the atom and burned in the fission

Now every department and every decision

Defer to the herds of our corporate divisions

If you don't remember the ballot you cast

It's printed on every receipt you were passed

Each time you selected our products and services

We were elected in each of your purchases

What's left to do when you've got the monopoly?

Turn the consumer into the commodity

It isn't hard where you've hardware neurology

Honestly, do read the company policy

Take information and trade it for wealth

You pay it in each augmentation we sell

It's easy to cut out the middleman

When he's cut out most of himself

Arasaka Finance. Investing in your future

(chorus)

All that you say on the net we composite

To maps that go straight from your head to your pocket

Complain if you want, you're still making deposits

Of data — each day you log on is a profit

Society currently lists electronic

So isn't conducting resistance ironic?

We've plenty of skeletons locked in our closets

But yours are assembled from old-stock hydraulics

So lucky we know just the pieces you need

All plucked from your social media feeds

The places you go and the posts that you read

All snatched for a new algorithm to feed

Now, holding our gold isn't par for the brand

Our silver is sat in the palm of your hand

Quit whining and sign on the line in the sand

The supply does not get to make the demands

(chorus)

Arasaka Manufacturing. Building a better tomorrow

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[37x3]

So

One of my favourite molecules is chlorine trifluoride

Why?

So, some background on electronegativity:

Electronegativity of an atom is the ability of the atom to pull shared electrons in a bond towards it. As such, the bigger the electronegative difference between two atoms, the closer the bond is to ionic, since the electrons get closer to the atom with the higher elctronegativity. In adition, that means that the more electronegative the atom, the more reactive it is.

So, what is chlorine trifluoride?

Chlorine trifluoride has the following molecular formula: ClF3

normally, chlorine would make only one bond, since it is a halogen. However, the fluorine, being more electronegative than chlorine, 'bullies' the chlorine and makes two bonds with one of it's electron pairs.

Fluorine is the most electronegative atom, and chlorine is the fourth. As such, it is *extremely* reactive.

Let's read parts from the wikipedia page:

Chlorine trifluoride has been investigated as a high-performance storable oxidizer in rocket propellant systems. Handling concerns, however, severely limit its use. The following passage by rocket scientist John D. Clark is widely quoted in descriptions of the substance's extremely hazardous nature:

It is, of course, extremely toxic, but that's the least of the problem. It is hypergolic with every known fuel, and so rapidly hypergolic that no ignition delay has ever been measured. It is also hypergolic with such things as cloth, wood, and test engineers, not to mention asbestos, sand, and water—with which it reacts explosively. It can be kept in some of the ordinary structural metals—steel, copper, aluminum, etc.—because of the formation of a thin film of insoluble metal fluoride that protects the bulk of the metal, just as the invisible coat of oxide on aluminium keeps it from burning up in the atmosphere. If, however, this coat is melted or scrubbed off, and has no chance to reform, the operator is confronted with the problem of coping with a metal-fluorine fire. For dealing with this situation, I have always recommended a good pair of running shoes.

The entire hazards section is *mental*

ClF3 is a very strong oxidizer. It is extremely reactive with most inorganic and organic materials and will combust many otherwise non-flammable materials without any ignition source. These reactions are often violent and in some cases explosive. Steel, copper, and nickel are not consumed because a passivation layer of metal fluoride will form which prevents further corrosion, but molybdenum, tungsten, and titanium are unsuitable as their fluorides are volatile. ClF3 will quickly corrode even noble metals like iridium, platinum, or gold, oxidizing them to chlorides and fluorides. This oxidizing power, surpassing that of oxygen, causes ClF3 to react vigorously with many other materials often thought of as incombustible and refractory. It ignites sand, asbestos, glass, and even ashes of substances that have already burned in oxygen. In one particular industrial accident, a spill of 900 kg of ClF3 burned through 30 cm of concrete and 90 cm of gravel beneath.[20][17] There is exactly one known fire control/suppression method capable of dealing with ClF3—flooding the fire with nitrogen or noble gases such as argon. Barring that, the area must simply be kept cool until the reaction ceases.[21] The compound reacts with water-based suppressors and CO2, rendering them counterproductive.[22] Exposure to larger amounts of ClF3, as a liquid or as a gas, ignites living tissue, resulting in severe chemical and thermal burns. ClF3 reacts violently with water and exposure to the reaction also results in burns. The products of hydrolysis are mainly hydrofluoric acid and hydrochloric acid, which are usually released as steam or vapor due to the highly exothermic nature of the reaction, and these substances present hazards of their own.

IT CAN BURN ASHES

STUFF WHICH HAS BEEN BURNED

REBURNED

IT CAN BURN ASBESTOS

IGNITE SAND

YOU F[RUCTOSE]ING NEED NOBLE GASSES TO STOP IT BURNING, AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY

THATS SO COOL WHAT