Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 review

I’m a long-time Microsoft Flight Simulator user. I started with 4.0. Back then scenery was extremely limited, so you were mostly limited to instrument flying – which I learned to love, to the point that when we had to give a presentation at school, my talk was about aircraft navigation. […]


Porsche 911 (996) buying advice

Porsche’s fifth-generation 911, the 996, was a milestone – it was the first water-cooled 911, and, together with the 986-model Boxster, lead to the growth and prosperity of Porsche as we know it today. There was also much criticism leveled at the 996: besides the outcries of the air-cooled lovers, […]


Review: Fender Mustang Micro

Nothing beats the sound of a tube amplifier, but the truth is that, even at bedroom level, they can be too loud – for example when the children have just gone to bed, or someone is watching tv next door. I was considering the Boss Waza Craft headphones when Fender […]


Porsche 911 (996) colors

Interior The 996 could be had with five interior colors: Black, Graffiti Grey (a light grey), Metropole Blue, Savannah Beige, and Space Grey (which is a bit darker than Graffiti Grey). Space Grey was later replaced by Nephrite Green. For the early cars, Nephrite Green and Boxster Red were available […]


Porsche 911 (996) OEM wheels

The default wheel size for the Porsche 996 Carrera 2 was 7×17 up front and 9×17 in the rear. For the pre-facelift model, the default wheel appears to have been the M396 turbo-look wheel.  For the facelift 996.2 model, this was the 10-spoke Carrera II wheel. The Carrera 4 used […]


Creating leadsheets with Musescore

The number one online source for Guitar Tabs and Chords is Ultimate Guitar, but I often prefer leadsheets, as they offer a single-page overview of songs. You could create a simple leadsheet with e.g. PowerPoint or Excel, but I also like having the ability to add music notation and tablature, […]


Review: Group A

While my motorsports exploits (when I was young) were limited to autocross and regularity competitions on the Hockenheimring and Nürburgring, and my current Sim Racing hobby is centred on circuit racing, too, my first and true love when it comes to motorsports is rally. My formative years in this regard […]


Review: How to Build a Car

Most racing-related (auto)biographies focus on the drivers. But there are other interesting stories to tell about racing in general and Formula One in particular. Adrian Newey’s autobiography offers a unique insight into the world of Formula One. Newey knew from an early age that he wanted to design race cars. […]


Gibson Les Paul Standard ’50s

How many guitars does a guitarist need? The common joke among guitarists is n+1, with n being the number of guitars currently owned. I’d say four: Maple and rosewood fretboard Stratocasters, a Telecaster, and a Les Paul. But the minimum is certainly two: one with single coils and one with […]


Fender American Professional II Stratocaster

In late 2020, Fender introduced the American Professional II Stratocaster as successor to the American Professional, the mid-range US model. As usual, the changes are evolutionary. There are new pickups (V-Mod II), a new cold-rolled steel vibrato block, and a sculpted neck heel (like the Deluxe/Elite/Ultra). Also new is the […]


A brief history of the current Formula 1 teams

One does not simply start a new Formula 1 team these days. It’s too complex for that, and there’s a limited number of places on the grid. Hence, “new” teams have in the last decades usually been new names after the takeover of a team by a new owner. Here’s […]


Review: Märklin My World Fire Department Starter Set

When my four-year-old son announced that he wanted a model train set, I initially considered a regular digital starter set by e.g. Roco, but my wife convinced me that this was unsuitable. So we instead bought a Märklin My World set, the Fire Department starter, and a couple of extra […]