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apazmackpie · 9 months ago

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Happy birthday, Martin Freeman!! 🥳

53 years old, 53 characters he played.

I finished on time!! But sadly it's not as detailed as i wanted at first. :(

Anyway, if you wanna know who is who, i'll let you all the names under the cut.

From left to right and top to bottom:

Ricky Beck, "Casualty" (1998)

Frank, "I just want to kiss you" (1998)

Jaap, "Lock, stock" (2000)

Jamie, "Men only" (2001)

Ricky-C, "Ali G indahouse" (2002)

D. S. Stringer, "Margery and Gladys" (2003)

John/Jack, "Love, actually" (2003)

Tim Canterbury, "The Office" (2001-2003)

Mike, "Hardware" (2003-2004)

Declan, "Shaun of the Dead" (2004)

Kevin, "Call register" (2004) and "Rubbish" (2007)

Vila, "Blake's Junction 7" (2005)

Arthur Dent, "Hittchiker's guide to the galaxy" (2005)

Ed Robinson, "The Robinsons" (2005)

Matt Norris, "Confetti" (2005)

Sandy Hoffman, "Breaking and Entering" (2006)

Jeremy, "Dedication" (2007

Gary Shaller, "The good night" (2007)

Sergeant, "Hot Fuzz" (2007)

Pig, "Lonely hearts" (2007)

Chris Ashworth, "The all together" (2007)

Rembrandt van Rijn, "Nightwatching" (2007)

Mr. Codlin, "The old curiosity shop" (2007)

Danny Reed, "Boy meets Girl" (2009)

Chris Curry, "Micro Men" (2009)

Paul Maddens, "Nativity!" (2009)

Hector Dixon, "Wild target" (2010)

John Watson, "Sherlock" (2010-2017)

Clive Buckle, "The girl is mime" (2010)

Alvin Finkel, "Swinging with the Finkels" (2011)

Simon Forrester, "What's your number?" (2011)

Dr. Williams, "The Voorman problem" (2011)

Pirate with a scarf/Number Two, "Pirates!" (2012)

Albert, "Animals" (2012)

Bilbo Baggins, "The Hobbit trilogy" (2012-2014)

Don, "Svengali" (Movie from 2013 and series from 2009)

Oliver Chamberlain, "The world's end" (2013)

Lester Nygaard, "Fargo" (2014)

Milton Frutchman, "The Eichmann show" (2015)

Steve Marriot, "Midnight of my life" (2015)

Iain MacKelpie, "Whiskey tango foxtrot" (2016)

Everett Ross, "Captain America: Civil War" (2016), "Black Panther" (2018), "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" (2022), "Secret Invasion" (2023)

Phil Rask, "StartUp" (2016-2017)

Michael Priddle, "Ghost Stories" (2017)

Andy Rose, "Cargo" (2017)

Thomas, "The operative" (2019)

Charlie Green, "Ode to joy" (2019)

Stephen Fulcher, "A confession" (2019)

Paul Worsley, "Breeders" (2020-2023)

Harold Wallach, "Angelyne" (2022)

Chris Carson, "The responder" (2022-2024)

Jonathan Miller, "Miller's Girl" (2024)

Richard III, from the theather play with the same name. (2014)

#martin freeman #ricky c #tim canterbury #arthur dent #rembrandt #paul maddens #hector dixon #bbc john watson #bilbo baggins #oliver chamberlain #lester nygaard #iain mackelpie #everett ross #phil rask #michael priddle #paul worsley #chirs carson #jonathan miller #richard iii

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katenepveu · 2 years ago

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Museum for Art in Wood (Part 3)

This is the section where I talk about the museum's curated bits (which, as you may recall from my first, ranty post, are extremely limited), and also the places where I most desperately wanted curation.

Here is a very nice explanatory label, which is alas not in the website's information on this piece:

The Museum Collection originally consisted of lathe-turned objects, but today it features pieces that represent a wide range of processes. From ancient tools like the lathe to modern computer-controlled CNC routers, technical skills are at the core of artistic work.

Ron Fleming in Earth Offering (OBJ 1010) masterfully combined techniques: the traditionally turned bowl is upheld by a dramatically carved base of leaves. Fleming's piece exemplifies how artists utilize technical processes to create striking displays of craftsmanship and ingenuity.

There was a small grouping of things for kids (I don't remember the actual title, sorry), which was fun. Among the highlights were these two pieces, which were next to each other: Frog Bowl by Michael Brolly; Hippo - Two Bowls Joined by Robert Trout.

This grouping felt very Seussian: Which Way To Grow by Dina Intorrella-Walker; Hurdy-Gurdy by Jean-François Escoulen and Mark Sfirri; and Clarinet-A-Kazoo by C.R. (Skip) Johnson.

There was a grouping featuring works from immigrant artists. I really liked this Shell Form Series by Graeme Priddle, though it looks puzzlingly different in color in the catalog from my picture.

And this plate, and also the small sculptures to right, by Michael Korhun from Ukraine:

I thought this was amusing: Hat, Hats Off to Woodturning Series by JoHannes Michelsen from Denmark.

Moving away from the intentional and labeled groupings, the person I went to the museum with pointed out this much more confusing grouping:

A potato masher and a strainer, both of unknown date and maker, highly functional, next to ... an untitled sculpture by Jean-François Escoulen. I am entirely happy to have functional objects in an art museum, though I can't say that I entirely understand why those.

This functional object, on the other hand, is very pretty! Rays (Cutting Board LS39) by Lincoln Seitzman.

There were also the occasional forays into meta woodworking pieces that I would dearly have loved explanation for.

For instance, there was Sanding Disk by Kevin Burrus, made of "Ash, Wood Turning Center brochures": has it actually been used as a sanding disk? What is a sanding disk?

Similarly on the deliberate meta, also on display was a Pre-Turned Wood Object—at least that's what it says on the top. I'd love to get the joke? But I don't. (By Garry Knox Bennett.)

Or this shelf: why is there a pile of papers on the left? Is that a chalk board on the right? Is the shelf a collective exhibit of some kind?

I looked up object number 4 (the only one there) and found the very useful: Large Mallet. This is apparently a whole section of things from the John Grass Wood Turning Company, judging from the papers, on which that name is visible, and the item underneath, which is a Bundle of Balusters, but: why those pieces? Why is there a beat-up baluster on top of some new ones? What is happening here???

This, on the other hand, is just as meta and historical, but doesn't actually need explanation and I found it very charming: The Itinerant Turner's Toolbox by C.R. (Skip) Johnson.

Sculpture next.

#sculpture #woodworking #Museum for Art in Wood #Philadelphia #mine-ish #art

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robertkstone · 6 years ago

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Genesis G70 is the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year

Wind your mental clocks back just over three decades. The year is 1985, Ronald Reagan just began his second term in the White House, and a new Korean car company was selling a Giugiaro-designed hatchback for the low, low price of $4,995.

Americans couldn’t pronounce the name of the brand (Hun-dee? Hi-yun-day? Hoon-dye?). And its little Excel did anything but. The wheezy econobox’s most notable performance credential was the LAPD’s dubious—later retracted—claim that Rodney King was driving one at speeds of 110 to 115 mph.

Fast-forward to the present. How beyond belief is it that that same cheap and cheerful automaker—Hyundai—not only has launched a luxury brand but has also built a better BMW 3 Series fighter right out the gate than the Japanese luxury brands have in numerous attempts?

That car is the Genesis G70, and we have voted it the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year. That’s all pretty unthinkable, right? Unthinkable, that is, unless you’ve been paying attention.

Hyundai launched Genesis Motors two years ago with the impressive G90, a full-size luxury machine that humbles cars such as the BMW 7 Series and Lexus LS. However, the G90 doesn’t really do much against the 4,700-pound German silverback in the room—the mighty Mercedes-Benz S-Class. And although the quite-fine Genesis G80 is a capable midsizer, it doesn’t exactly send shivers down the backs of engineers in Stuttgart or Nagoya. It isn’t, as we like to say, a needle mover.

The G70, however, is. The segment the G70 competes in—entry-level compact luxury sport sedans—has long been defined by the BMW 3 Series. However, for the past decade or so, the Bavarian’s claim of supremacy has been in doubt. That has opened the door for a plethora of stellar sedans from half a dozen countries, ranging from Audi to Cadillac to Jaguar to last year’s COTY, the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Despite comparison tests showing BMW is no longer in ascendency, when creating segment benchmarks, automaker product planners still circle back to, “We want to create a 3 Series fighter.”

Of course, it helps to have a bunch of ringers on your development team to help bring those Eurocentric touches to your first effort—folks like BMW dynamics veterans Albert Biermann and Fayez Rahman, Bentley design talents Luc Donckerwolke and SangYup Lee, Mercedes color/trim specialist Bozhena Lalova, and Bugatti Chiron designer Sasha Selipanov. Coordinating this dream team is former Lamborghini brand czar Manfred Fitzgerald, who has created a Genesis “brand book” to keep his troops focused.

The result of all this hard work is a stunning, value-packed sport sedan that should shake up any shopper’s consideration list.

“What’s remarkable about the Genesis is the Koreans have done what Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and GM have all failed to do: build a legitimate BMW 3 Series competitor,” international bureau chief Angus MacKenzie said.

Over many beers, you and I could sit and pick apart that statement. Yes, the original Infiniti G35 caught BMW flat-footed. Agreed, dynamically speaking, the Cadillac ATS and aforementioned Giulia are superior to the F30 3 Series. However, Angus’ point is that there is no asterisk required for the G70. We don’t have to say the car is better in this way but not that. No excuses are necessary. Am I saying the G70 is perfect? Of course not. No car is. But I am saying that the G70 is exceptional, and when stacked up against our six key criteria, it clearly emerges as our 2019 Car of the Year.

Before delving into said criteria (and in particular Engineering Excellence), I’d be remiss to go one step further without mentioning the G70’s platform cousin, the Kia Stinger. A finalist at last year’s Car of the Year competition, two negatives held the Stinger back from top honors: Its interior design is too blandly similar to every other Kia extant, and its suspension does not befit its sporty-car pretentions. More impressively, we brought a 3.3-liter RWD Stinger GT with us to our 2018 Best Driver’s Car party. There the Kia finished an honorable ninth place out of twelve. That may not sound like much—until you take into account that several bona fide six-figure supercars were ahead of it, and one (Corvette ZR1) finished behind it. Still, the Stinger has felt a bit … unfinished.

Given one additional year of development time, what we assume is a different sort of customer to chase, and perhaps even a different mandate, the G70 does not suffer from the same shortcomings. “The G70 is smooth, quiet, fast, upscale, nimble, good-looking, and a great value,” guest judge (and AMC, Chrysler, and Ford engineering guru) Chris Theodore said. “It’s very good at almost everything.”

The G70 makes a terrific all-arounder, but certain triumphal notes do stand out. If you want a seat at the 3 Series table, true sporting ability trumps a perfectly damped ride and NVH-free cabin. Some version of the word “balance” appears seven times in the notes from seven judges; any suspension complaints had to do with ride quality, not with handling.

“Holy moly, such ferocity and control,” road test editor Chris Walton said. “My attention was rapt. My heart raced. Held to the standard-bearer, a BMW 3 Series, this car out of the gate is better. It’s more evolved and more luxurious than the original Infiniti G35 was, has an edge to it that a Mercedes-Benz C-Class lacks, and feels more alert than an Audi A4.”

We should mention performance under the hood. The optional 3.3-liter twin-turbo G70 is a ferocious animal. The RWD car hit 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, whereas the heavier AWD car did so in 4.8. The rear-driver did the quarter-mile run in 13.2 seconds, whereas the all-wheeler was just a tenth behind. That’s quicker than the BMW 340i, a touch slower than the Mercedes-AMG C 43, and right on the nose of the 340-hp version of the Jaguar XE. “Your basic rocket ship,” Theodore said. “The engine pulls to infinity and beyond.”

Curiously, few of the 5,595 words we collectively wrote as notes about the G70 mention anything about the base 2.0-liter version feeling slow or underpowered. Yet the numbers tell a different story. The manual 2.0-liter takes 7.2 seconds to hit 60 mph, and the automatic requires 7.4 seconds. By contrast, the BMW 330i needs just 5.5 seconds to hit 60 mph, the Mercedes C 300 sedan takes 6.0 seconds, and the Alfa Romeo Giulia Q2 requires 5.2 seconds. The G70 similarly trails in the quarter—more than a second off its nearest rivals. “The 2.0-liter makes most of its power above 3,000 rpm, and the transmission is geared a bit too long to let the G70 make the most of that meat,” features editor Christian Seabaugh said.

Our fully loaded 2.0-liter Dynamic and the decently contented, power-packed 3.3T Advanced both came in under 45 grand. That’s thousands of dollars if not tens of thousands less than Genesis’ competitors. “I’m blinking hard, looking at the Monroney,” executive editor Mark Rechtin said. “I’m trying to figure out how this is possible. I’m not sure if there’s another vehicle in the segment that drives this way at this price point.”

Like all Car of the Year winners, there’s an X-factor at work, some secret spicy sauce that makes the eventual victor jump up off the page, out of the various spreadsheets, and down from the minds into the hearts of the judges. Last year’s champ, the Alfa Romeo Giulia, had it in spades. So does this year’s Genesis. “Somehow,” technical editor Frank Markus said, “this one, with rear-wheel drive, put it all together for me.”

For others, too. Check out this praise from senior production editor Zach Gale: “What an incredible first effort from a new brand.” Seabaugh professed love for the upgraded engine: “What a great way to wake up. This 3.3-liter TT V-6 is just a monster. I absolutely adore this engine. This was my favorite G70 on the proving ground, and it continues to be in the real world.” Then there’s editor-in-chief Ed Loh: “The pull of the 3.3T makes this one easy to love. BMW, Audi, Lexus, Acura, and Infiniti have a real problem on their hands.”

Advancement in design is what you would expect from a car company that has poached talent from Europe’s finest. The G70 is not derivative, but anyone who’s hung around premium German cars will notice a certain resemblance. Genesis didn’t crib its classmates’ homework, but it is working from similar notes. Said guest judge (and former Chrysler design boss) Tom Gale: “A lot of credit is due regarding package execution and combination of design elements for this segment.”

Once inside, the interior fitments are clearly worthy of the compact luxury segment. Genesis had four models on hand for us to sample. “Very upscale interior—almost Mercedes-like,” Theodore said. Detroit editor Alisa Priddle followed with more detailed notes: “Gorgeous quilted black-and-white seats with the diamond pattern in the white stitching.” Associate online editor Michael Cantu said the G70 “has the fit and finish some automakers would dream of.”

As is the case with many compact luxury sedans equipped with leather-clad power front seats, the G70 has a rather tight back-seat area. I’m 5-foot-10, and I fit fine behind a like-sized driver. But 6-footers felt pinched. It’s not big back there. Your friends will fit, just not comfortably for lengthy road trips unless front-seat occupants slide forward a bit.

So yes, there are shortcomings. The 2.0-liter version needs to undergo a kale cleanse, as it’s among the heavier sedans of its class. Rechtin called out its lane keep assist function as wandering. Loh and Markus noticed detectable amounts of road NVH creeping into the cabin on rough aggregate paving. MacKenzie felt the engine note needs refining. And Seabaugh was dismayed that the infotainment interface makes no bones that it’s shared with down-market Hyundai and Kia models.

Genesis shows how a new model from a new brand must enter a crowded segment, one where both heritage and perception count. Not in the middle, not as merely a value proposition or even as a funky alternative, but at or so very close to the top that everybody is forced to take notice. If there are sins, they’re easily forgiven. Alfa Romeo did it last year with the Giulia. Genesis does so this year with the G70. If we can once again journey back to the 1980s, Lexus did exactly this (and then some) with the release of the initial LS 400. The entire industry was put on notice. Some brands (hello, Lincoln) have yet to fully recover because the parent companies refused to recognize the threat and invest the funds necessary to fight back against the hard-hitting, hungry, hustling newcomer. The other brands, chiefly the Germans, evolved. Sure beats extinction.

If Genesis can extend its product line with SUVs similar to the excellent new G70, it stands poised to take over the world of ma from PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3 http://bit.ly/2Sbqb6I via IFTTT

#IFTTT #PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3

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hollybrunskill-blog1 · 8 years ago

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‘MUSIC FOR MARK’ - AUCTION OF PROMISES

What a triumphant result; what a heartwarming occasion...💖💖💖

FINAL TOTAL RAISED DIRECTLY FROM THIS AUCTION - £3920! THANK YOU to everyone who donated a promise, thank you to everyone who placed a bid, and THANK YOU to our lucky winners!! If you haven’t yet paid for your prize, you can do so now on our JustGiving page below. Please write for reference to which auction your payment refers. If you’d prefer to send a cheque, please contact [email protected] for further details.

💖 https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/holly-brunskill

A) 2 pairs of Bath Rugby tickets, European Quarter Finals home game v Brive/ 1 April 2017, kindly promised by Vicki Smith. FINAL BIDS JO T £100 and HALL £80

B) One week’s accommodation in a 3 bedroom town house on the coast, near Estepona, Spain, kindly promised by the Swan Family FINAL BID WOOD £500

C) One Ocado voucher with £50, kindly promised by Ocado. FINAL BID THOMAS £50

D) One night midweek stay at Paradise House (luxury boutique b&b) Bath, 2017 subject to availability, kindly promised by the Lanz family FINAL BID WEST £100

E) 2 x mohair throws by Neptune, (RRP £105 each), kindly promised by Emma Sims Hilditch FINAL BIDS ROLLS £50 and Jo T £80

F) Freshly home baked bread in a style of your choice, delivered locally to your door, kindly promised by Jon Brunskill. FINAL BID NASH £30

G) Three-course Sunday lunch for 4 people at Hayward’s Kitchen, Saltford Golf Club, kindly promised by Gemma Hayward. FINAL BID BEVAN £50

H) Lunch for 2 at Amarone, Bath, with a bottle of house wine (Mon-Fri), kindly promised by Jane & Kambiz Shayegan FINAL BID JO T £80

I) One bespoke celebration cake to the value of £150, by Daydreams UK (Crafting Creative Cake), kindly promised by Kate Parsons. FINAL BID WOOD £75

J) 4 tickets for the Bath Literary Festival; MARY BERRY! 20 May 2017 Bath, kindly promised by The Bath Festival (note can bid for one pair or two) FINAL BIDS WENDZINA £25, SWAN £25

K) 4 tickets for the Bath Literary Festival; SALMAN RUSHDIE, 25 May 2017 Bath, kindly promised by The Bath Festival (note can bid for one pair or two): FINAL BIDS ROZMUS-WEST £75 and WEBBER £100

L) 4 tickets for the Bath Literary Festival; ALI SMITH 21 May 2017 Bath, kindly promised by the Bath Festival (note can bid for one pair or two) FINAL BID WEBBER £50

M) Pimms and Croquet on the lawn for 4 people (including some instruction!) at Stanton Prior, Bath, kindly promised by the Hardwick Family. FINAL BID LAWMAN £50

N) A freshly picked seasonal bouquet of home grown parrot tulips, delivered locally in April, kindly promised by Tiffany Brunskill. FINAL BIDS SOLOMON £25 and SWAN £40

O) A place on a 5 week introduction to Croquet course at Camerton and Peasedown Croquet Club, kindly promised by Ros Key-Pugh

P) One trial violin lesson, kindly promised by Camilla Seymour. FINAL BID DUNCAN £30 (and £20 for late promise, trial piano Tom Worley)

Q) An afternoon of swimming for a family, in a private heated outdoor swimming pool in Saltford, at a mutually convenient time over the summer, kindly promised by Jean Katsimiha. FINAL BID S Webber £35

R) One week’s accommodation for up to 6 people in a fabulous holiday apartment in Port Isaac, Cornwall, kindly promised by the Lewis family: https://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/accommodation/p8035859. FINAL BID PAXTON £550

S) 2 one-hour private Shiatsu sessions at their home in Larkhall Bath, kindly promised by Jason & Fiona Cox FINAL BID NASH £120

T) 2 local (Larkhall or Bath with transportation) babysitting sessions, kindly promised by 16 and 18yr old sisters Amber and Katie Cox (pupils at Royal High School) FINAL BID WEST £30

U) 2 Hardback books “Comptoir Libanais” and “Comptoir Libanais Express”, kindly promised by their new restaurant in Southgate, Bath (each worth £20) - note two separate auctions FINAL BID WOOD £25 AND NASH £30

V) 2 Zumba cards of 5 classes each, in Bath (worth £20 each), kindly promised by Heidi Postlethwaite - note two separate auctions FINAL BIDS, 2 CARDS, HARDWICK £60

W) A one week’s static caravan stay for a family of up to 6 (two bedrooms and two people in the lounge) at Mullacott Cross, North Devon (10 minutes from Woolacombe); at a mutually agreed time March-November this year, kindly promised by Maggie Brown’s family FINAL BID PRIDDLE £220

X) Lunch for two at Combe Grove Hotel, kindly promised by the hotel FINAL BID JO T £100

Y) Gel polish manicure or pedicure, The Hair Studio, Timsbury, kindly promised by Emily Baxter. FINAL BID MACKAY £20

Z) 9 carat gold diamond and sapphire huggie earrings, rrp £275, kindly promised by Yasmin Mozafari’s father FINAL BID HANSEN £120

AB) 3 x Big Beach Bags, made by a fair-trade women’s cooperative Bangladesh, (RRP £29.95 each), kindly promised by Catherine Woodman, note 3 separate auctions FINAL BIDS BRUNSKILL £20, BROWN £30, SWAN £35

AC) Cut and blow dry, Melanie Giles Hairdressing in Bath, kindly promised by Mel Giles FINAL BID KENDALL £55

AD) 2 tickets to the Glastonbury Extravaganza, 5 August, kindly donated by Michael Eavis (note tickets not available until May) http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/vouchers-on-sale-now-for-2017-abbey-extravaganza/ FINAL BID PRITCHARD £70

THEATRE/MUSIC - BRISTOL AND BATH:

AA) 4 theatre tickets to see ‘The Addams Family’/ The Theatre Royal, Bath / June 2017, kindly promised by Lynda Elvin. http://theatreroyal.org.uk/page/3787/The-Addams-Family/1370 FINAL BID LEWIS £80

BB) Pair of tickets / Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra with Freddy Kempf (piano) / Colston Hall, Bristol / 17 May 2017, kindly promised by Andrew Jamieson: http://www.colstonhall.org/shows/moscow-philharmonic-orchestra-picture-perfect/ FINAL BID SHEARN £70

CC) 2 tickets, Madeleine Peyroux, 27 May, Bath, kindly promise by The Bath Festival. http://bathfestivals.org.uk/the-bath-festival/event/madeleine-peyroux-2/ FINAL BID SMITH £70

DD) 4 tickets, “Brahms From First to Last”, 23 May, Bath (Ann Murray, mezzo soprano; Samuel Hasselhorn, baritone; Malcolm Martineau, piano), kindly promised by The Bath Festival. http://bathfestivals.org.uk/the-bath-festival/event/bathsongs-brahms-from-first-to-last/ FINAL BIDS NASH £40, SEYMOUR £25

ZZ) 4 tickets for the musical “Thoroughly Modern Millie” including back stage tour and meeting the cast! June 2017, Bristol, kindly donated by our own Katie Thomas, stage name Katherine Glover, playing Miss Dorothy! http://modernmillie.co.uk/ FINAL BID WEBBER £200

MUSIC - LONDON:

EE) Pair of tickets / London Chamber Orchestra with Pekka Kuusisto (violin) and Vladamir Ashkenazy (conductor) / Cadogan Hall, London / 14 June 2017, kindly promised by LCO: http://www.lco.co.uk/concerts/ FINAL BID BRUNSKILL £20

FF) Pair of top category tickets (worth £55 each) / Recital of Richard Goode / International Piano Series / Royal Festival Hall, London / Wednesday 31 May 2017, kindly promised by Tracy Lees: https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/108183-richard-goode-piano-2017 FINAL BID IRENE £100

GG) Pair of tickets / Vienna Tonkünstler Orchestra with Angela Hewitt (piano) / Cadogan Hall, London / 26 February 2017, kindly promised by Andrew Jamieson: http://www.cadoganhall.com/event/zios1617-vienna-tonkunstler-orchestra-1/ FINAL BID BROWN £20

HH) Pair of tickets / Vienna Tonkünstler Orchestra with Alexander Sitkovetsky (violin) / Cadogan Hall, London / 28 February 2017, kindly promised by Andrew Jamieson: http://www.cadoganhall.com/event/zios1617-vienna-tonkunstler-orchestra-2/

II) Pair of tickets / Vienna Tonkünstler Orchestra with Emma Johnson (clarinet) / Cadogan Hall, London / 2 March 2017, kindly promised by Andrew Jamieson: http://www.cadoganhall.com/event/zios1617-vienna-tonkunstler-orchestra-3/

JJ) Pair of tickets / Norwegian Chamber Orchestra with Leif Ove Andsnes (piano) / Cadogan Hall, London / 17 March 2017, kindly promised by Andrew Jamieson: http://www.cadoganhall.com/event/zios1617-norwegian-chamber-orchestra/

KK) Pair of tickets / Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra / Beethoven’s Choral Symphony / Cadogan Hall, London / 31 March 2017, kindly promised by Andrew Jamieson: http://www.cadoganhall.com/event/zios1617-dresden-philharmonic/ FINAL BID BEELEY £50

LL) Pair of tickets / Brussels Philharmonic with Jérôme Pernoo (cello) / Cadogan Hall, London / 9 April 2017, kindly promised by Andrew Jamieson: http://www.cadoganhall.com/event/zios1617-brussels-philharmonic-2/

MM) Pair of tickets / Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra with Freddy Kempf (piano)/Cadogan Hall, London / 18 May 2017, kindly promised by Andrew Jamieson FINAL BID BROWN £50

NN) Pair of stalls tickets / ‘The Music of Bond’/ Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Royal Albert Hall, London / Tuesday 11 April 2017, kindly promised by Ed Milner. FINAL BID BROWN £90

OO) Pair of top category tickets (worth £55 each) / Recital of Boris Berezovsky / International Piano Series / Royal Festival Hall, London / Tuesday 28 February 2017, kindly promised by Tracy Lees: https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/109055-boris-berezovsky-piano-2017

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robertkstone · 6 years ago

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Genesis G70 is the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year

That car is the Genesis G70, and we have voted it the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year. That’s all pretty unthinkable, right? Unthinkable, that is, unless you’ve been paying attention.

The result of all this hard work is a stunning, value-packed sport sedan that should shake up any shopper’s consideration list.

If Genesis can extend its product line with SUVs similar to the excellent new G70, it stands poised to take over the world of ma from PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3 http://bit.ly/2Sbqb6I via IFTTT

#IFTTT #PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3

0 notes

robertkstone · 6 years ago

Text

Genesis G70 is the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year

That car is the Genesis G70, and we have voted it the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year. That’s all pretty unthinkable, right? Unthinkable, that is, unless you’ve been paying attention.

The result of all this hard work is a stunning, value-packed sport sedan that should shake up any shopper’s consideration list.

If Genesis can extend its product line with SUVs similar to the excellent new G70, it stands poised to take over the world of ma from PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3 http://bit.ly/2Sbqb6I via IFTTT

#IFTTT #PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3

0 notes

robertkstone · 6 years ago

Text

Genesis G70 is the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year

That car is the Genesis G70, and we have voted it the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year. That’s all pretty unthinkable, right? Unthinkable, that is, unless you’ve been paying attention.

The result of all this hard work is a stunning, value-packed sport sedan that should shake up any shopper’s consideration list.

If Genesis can extend its product line with SUVs similar to the excellent new G70, it stands poised to take over the world of ma from PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3 http://bit.ly/2Sbqb6I via IFTTT

#IFTTT #PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3

0 notes

robertkstone · 6 years ago

Text

Genesis G70 is the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year

That car is the Genesis G70, and we have voted it the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year. That’s all pretty unthinkable, right? Unthinkable, that is, unless you’ve been paying attention.

The result of all this hard work is a stunning, value-packed sport sedan that should shake up any shopper’s consideration list.

If Genesis can extend its product line with SUVs similar to the excellent new G70, it stands poised to take over the world of ma from PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3 https://ift.tt/2KAC6Z1 via IFTTT

#IFTTT #PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3

0 notes

robertkstone · 7 years ago

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Genesis G70 is the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year

That car is the Genesis G70, and we have voted it the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year. That’s all pretty unthinkable, right? Unthinkable, that is, unless you’ve been paying attention.

The result of all this hard work is a stunning, value-packed sport sedan that should shake up any shopper’s consideration list.

If Genesis can extend its product line with SUVs similar to the excellent new G70, it stands poised to take over the world of ma from PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3 https://ift.tt/2KAC6Z1 via IFTTT

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robertkstone · 7 years ago

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Genesis G70 is the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year

That car is the Genesis G70, and we have voted it the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year. That’s all pretty unthinkable, right? Unthinkable, that is, unless you’ve been paying attention.

The result of all this hard work is a stunning, value-packed sport sedan that should shake up any shopper’s consideration list.

If Genesis can extend its product line with SUVs similar to the excellent new G70, it stands poised to take over the world of ma from PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3 https://ift.tt/2KAC6Z1 via IFTTT

#IFTTT #PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3

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robertkstone · 7 years ago

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Buick Regal TourX vs. Subaru Outback 3.6R vs. Volkswagen Golf Alltrack

There’s nothing worse than plans that have gone belly up, but there we were, pulled over in the middle of rural Wyoming, with a ruptured intercooler and a gaping hole where the passenger-side headlight once was on our 2018 Buick Regal TourX, courtesy of a deer.

What we’d planned to do was compare the new Regal wagon with America’s other mainstream wagons, the 2018 Subaru Outback 3.6Rand 2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack, on one of the roads that helped turn the United States into the economic and cultural powerhouse we all know and love, the California Trail. Instead we had to scramble to make it all the way back to home base in Los Angeles, California, 1,100 miles away. You can read all about the journey in the “Wagon Train” story HERE, but now that we’re back in the Golden State and with a fresh Regal TourX sitting in the Motor Trend Garage, it’s time to salvage our original plan and determine which mainstream wagon is best.

Station wagons have come a long way since their mid-20th century heyday. Back then, wagons were just longer sedans, no more, no less. These days, whether we like it or not, most wagons justify their place in the U.S. by having all-wheel drive and riding higher than their sedan counterparts, blurring the line between car and crossover.

This is especially apparent when looking at the Subaru Outback. The best-selling wagon in the U.S. by a large margin, the Outback takes the body of the Legacy sedan (and global wagon) up a level with increased ground clearance—8.7 inches, to be exact—and fits it with outdoorsy body cladding and plastic skid-plates. Power typically comes courtesy of a 2.5-liter flat-four with 175 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque, but our Outback is equipped with a 3.6-liter flat-six making 256 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque. It sends power to all four wheels via a CVT. Our Outback 3.6R Touring is a top-of-the-line model, including everything from amenities like heated leather seats and Apple CarPlay compatibility to safety features such as Subaru’s EyeSight driver-assist technology (which features adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist, among other things) standard for a grand total of $39,605.

Buick’s and Volkswagen’s wagon transformations both take a page from the successful Outback but are slightly less extreme than the Subaru. Volkswagen starts off with the Golf Sportwagen it already sells here in the States, adds all-wheel drive and some body cladding, and fits the wagon with big 18-inch wheels and a minor suspension lift to give the Golf Alltrack 6.9 inches of ground clearance, up 1.4 inches compared to the Golf Sportwagen. Power comes courtesy of a 1.8-liter turbo-four that produces 170 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque, which is sent to the road via a six-speed twin-clutch automatic. VW takes another page out of the Subaru playbook when it comes to pricing; our top-trim Golf Alltrack SEL doesn’t get any options because its $36,510 sticker includes every feature VW can possible squeeze into a Golf, like its suite of driver-assist technologies, heated seats, a panoramic sunroof, and more.

The newcomer of our trio is the Buick Regal TourX, and not just because this is our second one in as many weeks. The 2018 Regal TourX is Buick’s first wagon since the cult-classic Roadmaster went out of production in 1996. Designed, engineered, and built by former GM subsidiary Opel in Germany, the Regal TourX serves as a bridge of sorts between high-riding American-style wagons and sporty European-style “estates.” Based on the Opel Insignia Tourer, the Regal TourX gets (you guessed it) body cladding, a minor suspension increase (giving it 5.7 inches of sunshine under the car), and standard all-wheel drive. The only available powertrain is a 2.0-liter turbo-four that makes 250 hp and 295 lb-ft mated to an eight-speed auto. Unlike the other two wagons, our top-level Regal TourX Essence doesn’t come standard with all the bells and whistles the other two get. The upside is that its $35,995 start price is lower than the others and includes niceties such as Apple CarPlay, heated seats, and a heated steering wheel. The downside is you’ve got to shell out more cash to get a car comparably equipped to the Subaru and VW; our totaled Regal TourX was fully loaded with driver-assist systems and a premium audio system, and it stickered for $41,550. Our replacement car, which lacked the panoramic moonroof and driver-assist systems of the first Buick, stickers for $39,760.

Although all three manufacturers take a similar approach to executing their wagons, they all drive differently. With its high-riding suspension and commanding driving position, the Subaru feels the most like a crossover. Thanks to its test-best ground clearance and impressive all-wheel-drive system, the Outback oozes capability. It’ll happily claw its way through high snowbanks that’ll leave the other two wagons waiting for a snowplow. On dry pavement, this capability translates into an exceptionally smooth and forgiving ride, though you pay for it through corners, as the Outback has more body roll than the other two. Associate online editor Michael Cantu found the Subaru “confidence-inspiring” through corners, though steering is a bit vaguer compared to the sportier Buick and Volkswagen.

Subaru’s powertrain is pretty nice, too. The flat-six provides a sense of comfortable capability as it smoothly delivers its power. It never feels out of breath or particularly challenged even while passing on the highway when riding four-up with luggage and passing slower traffic on the highway. The Outback’s CVT is solid, too. “This CVT continues to be one of the best on the market,” associate editor Scott Evans said, though he noted there’s still room for improvement. “After every stop, there’s a jerk when you step on the gas.” Cantu noticed the same thing. “Initial throttle tip in is way too aggressive,” which more often than not results in your passengers’ heads being snapped back into the headrests if you’re not careful.

In our instrumented testing, the Outback performs respectably. It accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds, and it’ll run through the quarter mile in 15.2 seconds at 95.9 mph. Braking and handling performance were both at the bottom of our group; the Subaru needed 125 feet to come to a standstill in our 60–0-mph braking test and lapped the figure eight in 27.4 seconds at 0.63 g average. The EPA rates the Outback at 20/27/22 mpg city/highway/combined, and we were able to verify those fuel economy results in our Real MPG testing, where we saw 19.6/27.9/22.6 Real MPG.

The Outback seems biased for comfort, and the Golf Alltrack initially seems geared toward sportiness. Around town, its little 1.8-liter engine feels peppy off the line and makes boost quickly, but it runs out of steam as it approaches highway speeds. Its six-speed twin-clutch DSG gearbox doesn’t help things much, either. Its slight jerkiness at low speeds can be forgiven as a fair trade-off for the lightning-quick shifts DSGs provide, but its insistence on being in its top gear as much as possible and reluctance to downshift suck a lot of fun out of the car.

That’s unfortunately not the VW’s only flaw. Its ride is, putting it nicely, awful for a family car. The big wheel and tire pack that gives the Golf Alltrack its increased ground clearance versus the regular Golf Sportwagen also ruins the ride. “Unacceptable chattering on rough pavement,” Detroit editor Alisa Priddle said. Added Evans: “You don’t just feel every bump and crack in the pavement. You at times feel the very grain of the asphalt itself.” The rough ride would be acceptable on a Golf R but not so much on versatile do-it-all wagon. At least the VW handles well; its overly stiff ride pays dividends in corners where it helps the Alltrack corner like a slightly longer, heavier Golf GTI.

At the test track the Golf Alltrack is unsurprisingly the pokiest of our trio, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds and taking 15.5 seconds to speed through the quarter mile at 87.8 mph. Things look sunnier for the VW in braking and cornering tests. It posts a test-best 60–0 performance of 117 feet, and it laps the figure eight in 27.0 seconds at 0.64 g average. The EPA’s fuel economy figures appear to be on the mark, too. Rated at 22/30/25 mpg by the feds, we saw 21.3/31.4/24.9 Real MPG with our test gear hooked up.

The Buick Regal TourX artfully splits the difference between the German and Japanese wagon. Its 2.0-liter engine and eight-speed auto combination is a good one; the turbocharged four-cylinder is gutsy and powerful while still managing to be smooth and quiet. The Regal’s transmission doesn’t make any pretense of being sporty, but it shifts smartly and isn’t afraid to kick down a gear or two if need be. “Even at high speeds, the engine never felt taxed, and the eight-speed was smooth with no hunting,” Priddle said.

The Regal TourX rides and handles well, too. The American wagon’s suspension is soft and compliant like the Subaru’s but without the Outback’s body roll through corners. Steering is nice, too—light yet responsive.

At the test track the Buick leads our group in just about all of our instrumented tests. The Regal TourX hits 60 mph from a standstill in 6.3 seconds and blows through the quarter mile in 14.7 seconds at 94.7 mph. Its 60–0 result of 118 feet is just a foot longer than the Volkswagen, but the Regal makes things up on the figure eight with a test-best lap of 26.2 seconds at 0.69 g average. The Regal’s EPA rating of 21/29/24 mpg is impressive, too, considering the numbers it put down at the track, but it might be a touch optimistic; in our testing we achieved 18.2/32.3/22.6 Real MPG.

How a wagon drives is only half of the equation—in this segment, how well these vehicles move both people and cargo is equally important.

The smallest of the trio is obviously the Golf Alltrack, but it’s actually much roomier than you’d think. VW, which has been among the best at making a small exterior feel roomy, continues that tradition with the Golf Alltrack. Thanks to its big greenhouse and panoramic roof providing an open-air feel, the VW’s cabin is an inviting place. The seats, wrapped in attractive tan leatherette, are, as Cantu put it, “great-looking and comfortable,” and they do much to make the cabin feel more expensive than it actually is.

The VW’s CarPlay-friendly infotainment system is pretty nice, too. “VW’s done a fine from PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3 https://ift.tt/2D377PW via IFTTT

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robertkstone · 7 years ago

Text

Buick Regal TourX vs. Subaru Outback 3.6R vs. Volkswagen Golf Alltrack

How a wagon drives is only half of the equation—in this segment, how well these vehicles move both people and cargo is equally important.

The VW’s CarPlay-friendly infotainment system is pretty nice, too. “VW’s done a fine from PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3 https://ift.tt/2D377PW via IFTTT

#IFTTT #PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3

0 notes

robertkstone · 7 years ago

Text

Buick Regal TourX vs. Subaru Outback 3.6R vs. Volkswagen Golf Alltrack

This is especially apparent when looking at the Subaru Outback. The best-selling wagon in the U.S. by a large margin, the Outback takes the body of the Legacy sedan (and global wagon) up a level with increased ground clearance—8.7 inches, to be exact—and fits it with outdoorsy body cladding and plastic skid-plates. Power typically comes courtesy of a 2.5-liter flat-four with 175 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque, but our Outback is equipped with a 3.6-liter flat-six making 256 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque. It sends power to all four wheels via a CVT. Our Outback 3.6R Touring is a top-of-the-line model, including everything from amenities like heated leather seats and Apple CarPlay compatibility to safety features such as Subaru’s EyeSight driver-assist technology (which features radar cruise control and lane keep assist, among other things) standard for a grand total of $39,605.

How a wagon drives is only half of the equation—in this segment, how well these vehicles move both people and cargo is equally important.

The VW’s CarPlay-friendly infotainment system is pretty nice, too. “VW’s done a fine job with from PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3 http://ift.tt/2D377PW via IFTTT

#IFTTT #PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3

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