More than a good driver: Ayrton Senna

18th anniversary of Ayrton Senna tragic crash in San Marino GP.

A hero remembered: Ayrton Senna

By:

Andrew Crask May 01, 2012

The events that played out on my TV screen in the early morning hours 18 years ago today were ingrained forever into my mind, as they were for millions of Formula 1 fans around the world.

Ayrton Senna's heavy crash from the lead of the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola at first looked like just another unlikely bump in the road of his surprisingly slow start to the season for Williams-Renault; then, it became clear that things were more serious; then, bizarrely, impossibly, grave. The images on my screen were plain enough, but still surreal – all the more so as they followed the shocks we had experienced earlier that weekend, of Roland Ratzenberger's tragic death in qualifying the day before, and Rubens Barichello's near-tragic wreck in practice on the Friday. But this was Ayrton Senna, the master of the art. Such things couldn't happen to him...could they?

Senna's records have been recounted in detail so much that one tends to skip over the numbers – the 65 poles, the 41 wins, the three World Championships – without fully processing the impact they had on the sport and his contemporaries. Even the fact that his records have been broken hasn't diminished Senna's place in the minds and hearts of those of us who were privileged to watch him working his magic. And now Asif Kapadia's masterful film Senna has enabled more recent arrivals to F1 fandom to gain an understanding of Senna's skills as well as his forceful, engaging charisma.

For it's the aggregate of all those things that made Senna more than a great racer, more than a star, but a hero for me and countless others. We recognized his flaws – he could be churlish when thwarted by mechanical failures or when he thought he was being unfairly treated or denied his due, but we gave him more leeway than we might have others in the same circumstances, since we recognized it as another part of the passion that he brought to all aspects of his profession.

Took from: Racer web magazine. Racer > F1 > A hero remembered: Ayrton Senna.

Took from YouTube. 'Tribute Ayrton Senna '

Rockets

Last week North Korea launched a big rocket. Against the comments of many countries around the world they did it. But Finally it failed. After some minutes in the air it went probably to the ocean.

N. Korea government told it was a satellite. Who knows?

This week India launched with the ‘approval’ of some countries a big rocket that can run long distance. 

According to indian authorities more than 5.000 kilometers. It was a test, but it is important to take into account that the rocket has nuclear capacity. A important fact!

What means this ‘tests’?

Maybe is call of power in this nations or maybe can be simple tests only to measure the artifacts.

Is not a good moment to test rockets, according to the international panorama.

Probably other countries will develop similar ‘exercises’. And the ‘excuses’ of those countries may not be ‘just kidding’.

Syria? yes Syria

The situation in Syria is critical since one year ago.

But during the last week Al Asad forces have started a slaughter in regions like Homs and Idlib.




Those attacks are against the called ‘rebels’ (maybe as Libia ones).

Battle tanks and heavy artillery is used actually to kill lot of people (including ladies and children).

Day-by-day newspapers and TV take  images of dead people and buildings completely destructed.

But Syria is alone in the world?

UN named a former general secretary to talk with Al Asad in Damascus and look for a solution but during the last days nothing happened.



Pic: http://bit.ly/wEX9TO United Nations/Mark Garten



Security Council of UN talked many times about Syria, but two countries dont want to act (Not refferring military).

Latin american presidents (very-very far of Syria) support the President that only says the dead people is because of terrorists.

International Community will be the whitness of  more than 8.000 people killed in Syria? countries around the world will forgot that Syria crisis is in a high point?

'Super tuesday'

By A.J. ND citizen.
I consider myself to be a republican voter.  Where I live in North Dakota, USA, we are agricultural and oil minded people.  These are the two industries that make up most of our communities.  There isn't a real republican canidate that stands heads and shoulders above the rest.  I think it will be between Romney and Santorum, with Romney eventually winning the republican bid.  Historically republicans in office help the industries fore mentioned.  I do not believe we have a potential republican canidate strong enough or popular enough, to "knock" the democratic leader / president Obama out of office.  We are lucky that our political party retains majority in the house of representatives.

Falkland or Malvinas Islands?

During the last weeks Argentina restarted a controversy around the islands located near this country in the south Atlantic Ocean.

Fernadez's government decide to take some decisions around agreement reached 30 years ago when the american country became in war with United Kingdom.

Taking into account Argentina’s decision, prime Cameron gov. decide send a destroyer. Later Prince William travelled to the islands in a mission.

Cristina Fernández decided to go to the United Nations to report british reaction.

Then, its true that this year is the 30^th aniversary of Falkland/Malvinas war. But what is the intention of both governments? Repeat the secenes that already happened?

Both countries are in different continents and their army forces are really different, also their allies. So, someone will react? Someone is waiting for the reaction of the other country?

Falklands, Malvinas, two languages, two (very, very, very) different points of view.

Experience flying on the world's largest passenger aircraft.

By: Brandon Lee Jun Yao, student.

I vividly remember it being in December 2009 that I first sat the A380 on a Singapore Airlines flight. It had been over two years since the first commercial flight on that airplane (Singapore to Syndey, October 2007), but the plane was spick and span. As I boarded the plane and was greeted by the world-famous cabin crew, I thought about how the national carrier of such a small country like Singapore got to where it was. Also, I felt extremely lucky that I had the opportunity to see the world, and in the process, having a safe and pleasant ride on an engineering marvel.

As I got to my seat, in economy class, things pretty much looked the same. As a gadget lover, I was pleased to see a USB port next to the inflight entertainment screen in front of me. This allowed me to use my then iPhone 3GS (in airplane mode, of course) without the fear of landing in London with a flat battery. In this connected world, more thoughtful features like these will be necessary in order to stay competitive. Indeed, some airlines around the world already offer in-flight WiFi, with many others planning to do so.

I wish I could give a more in-depth review, which I believe is possible given the opportunity to fly First or Business Class, which have private cabins, and other luxurious features. What I can say though, is that facilities and features are only part of the picture, and a memorable service experience on the flight may be even more important. Singapore Airlines, in my case, definitely lived up to their reputation and delivered a well-coordinated performance on the long flight to London. In this tight economy, maybe airlines should pay more attention to their "economy" class, even though the lion's share of revenue actually comes from business and first class.