Head-on crash... car vs bus

An in-car vid of a head-on crash with a bus.

The Internet is for....

Karate accidents

Ultima 5: Lazarus

OK folks, this is huge. In case you weren't old enough to play computer games back in the glory days of monochrome color, Ultima V to me is among the all-time greats in CRPGs. Ben and I used to play this thing for *WEEKS*, ignoring hunger, schoolwork and concerned parents.

So it's with a great sense of excitement to find out that the game has been remade and updated with a fairly recent 3D engine. Best of all it's free.

I give you Ultima 5: Lazarus. Let the rediscovery begin.

One step closer to Data

Japanese scientists have been able to produce a self-aware robot. The future is now...

Ziegler-Nichols tuning method

Ever got frustrated by trying to tune your boost control or idle control?

This is a method published by 2 dudes back in the 1940s, producing parameters resulting in quarter wave decay for closed loop control. While it may not be optimal for all instances, it serves as a good basis to start.

Step 1:
Make sure the process is lined out.

Step 2:
Increase the gain in 1/2 steps of the previous gain. After each increase, if there's no oscillation change the setpoint slightly to trigger an oscillation.

Step 3:
Adjust the gain so oscillation is sustained. i.e. same amplitude. If the oscillation is increasing, decrease gain. Conversely, increase gain if the oscillation is decreasing.

Step 4:
Note the gain causing the sustained oscillation, and the period.

Use one of the following tuning equations as appropriate.

Proportional control only: Gain=0.5
PI: Gain=0.45, reset=PU/1.2
PID: Gain=0.6, reset=PU/2, derivative=PU/8

Launch control with boost enhancement

With just a little tweaking it's possible to get 2 bar of boost on launch. Drivetrain may not like it that much though.

Keiichi Tsuchiya drives the F430 and NSX Type R

The indefatigable Dori king drives the F430 and NSX Type R around Gunsai.

Video link

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Latte Art

More here.

Autoblog article on OHV vs OHC

Haven't read such a well-written article in a long time. Eric Bryant does a great job explaining the differences between the two while maintaining a neutral position and taking stabs at long-held misconceptions.

Intercooling

Datalog from an Evo 8 MR in the early morning of 22 Nov. Note that the intake air temperature (3rd graph) takes a complete nosedive and stays at low levels despite the car going on boost and hitting top of 4th gear (around 180 km/h). Needs 300m on a roll to get from 50 km/h to 150 km/h, with a gearshift in between.

But of course

The sunrise period for the dot-eu top level domain has now officially opened. I think Daniel.eu sounds nice, don't eu? ;)

Day of Infamy

Today is the 7th of December. Suprisingly, not a lot of people know the historical significance of this day. Sixty four years ago, Pearl Harbor was attacked in a "Day of Infamy", leading to American involvement in WWII and the start of a long, bloody engagement that would leave millions dead. Let us not forget the countless sacrifices that unnamed courageous men and women undertook those years ago, so that we may live free from tyranny.

OK, switching gears, Melvyn Tan has decided to cancel his concert in view of the furore caused by his dereliction of national duty. You know what? I'm not surprised. This is the sort of selfish behavior that is expected of a draft dodger. Never mind the fact that his concert tickets were sold out. His own interests come first. I don't even know the guy yet I'm already forming a bad opinion of his character. It's the sort of thing a chao keng private would do to make your NS life that much harder. Good riddance.

It's during ICT that...

... you meet old friends and make new ones. Someone says I bear a striking resemblance to Takeshi Yasutoko, one of the best professional inline skaters in the world. ;)

... you start to remember weird terms like "Canadian bull" (a kind of target used for zeroing the M16/AR15 rifle), "reveille" (a signal sounded esp. on a bugle or drum to wake personnel in the armed forces, according to the Oxford Dictionary), "armskote" (where weapons are kept) and "disciplinarily dealt with".

... just like NSF days, the platoon commander is blur like sotong and has no bloody clue what is going on.

... every section must inexplicably have a joker/keng king, usually one and the same person.

... there really must be a God, because every time there's some siong activity, He sends clouds to provide some relief from the elements. And when the going gets really tough, Cat 1 weather is just a prayer away. No joke.

... some camps are now so huge, they deserve an internal bus service.

Back to wearing green...

Apologies for lack of updates due to a hectic ICT schedule... just a few days more...