In this continuing series, Annie Roach ’22, a major in English and Italian Studies from Northampton, Mass., Reviews alumni books and offers a selection for those seeking knowledge, ideas and inspiration. The volumes, which are sent to us by the elders, are forwarded to the Olin Library as gifts to the University’s collection and made available to the Wesleyan community.

Scott Gottlieb ’94, Uncontrolled spread: Why COVID-19 has crushed us and how we can beat the next pandemic (Harper, 2021)

Since March 2020, the news cycle has been riddled with desperation, conflicting information and false theories. Even with vaccines, social distancing and masking, COVID-19 is not going to go away, and the next pandemic could be around the corner. Since our realities have changed so much, it’s difficult to determine where and when exactly the United States (and the world) went wrong in handling the COVID-19 crisis, and what the best steps to take. In his new book Uncontrolled spread: why COVID-19 has crushed us and how we can beat the next pandemic, Doctor and former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb answers everyone’s most pressing questions about the COVID-19 pandemic and consolidates his answers into a strong and cohesive narrative.

Gottlieb offers a way forward that is both promising and urgent, forcing his readers and the US government to be proactive in preventing a future crisis that could be even more devastating than the one we have already experienced. Using historical knowledge, epidemiology, and political science, Gottlieb forms a strong argument that will leave readers with a better understanding of the world we live in and a more urgent mission to improve its future.

Scott Gottlieb is a resident researcher at the American Enterprise Institute. He was the twenty-third commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administrator and is a CNBC contributor and a partner of New Enterprise Associates. He is a member of the board of trustees of Wesleyan University. He is a member of the board of directors of Pfizer Inc. and Illumina, Inc. He lives in Westport, Connecticut.

Julie Scolnik ’78, Paris Blue: a memory of a first love (Books Koehler, 2021)

“It was as if a panoramic cinema camera on a sea of ​​faces stopped and focused on just one: a striking young man, in his thirties, sitting at the end of the second row of basses”, writes Julie Scolnik in her new thesis Paris blue, describing the moment when, among the faces of the Orchester de Paris, she first laid eyes on the quiet married Frenchman Luc, whom she would soon fall in love with. At the beginning of the memoirs, Scolnik is an extrovert and curious twenty-year-old Wesleyan student studying the transverse flute in Paris. By the epilogue, the reader traveled twenty-five years with Scolnik and experienced her transformation as she navigated the relationship and several iterations of heartbreak and separation. Through it all, Scolnik’s passion for classical music shines through, and his prose itself is musical and radiant as it unveils its history.

It is a rare pleasure to find a memoir that reads like a novel, and Scolnik’s book can be counted among this elite. The author delivers beautiful prose, a precise memory and a thrilling story that will feverishly leaf readers to find out what happens next. Fans of travel, romance and music will be obsessed.

Julie Scolnik is a concert flautist. She is the founding artistic director of Mistral Music, a series and ensemble that she founded with her husband in 1997. She has released two solo CDs, “Salut d’Amour & Other Songs of Love†and “Bejeweled: Short Concert Gems â€. She lives in Brookline, Massachusetts with her family.

Arielle Shanok ’98, Thrive in Graduate Studies: The Expert’s Guide to Success and Well-Being (Rowman and Littlefield, 2021)

“Above all, we [the editors] encourages you to take care of yourself. Your trip is unique but you are not alone â€, we read in the introduction to Thrive at doctoral school, a user-friendly, in-depth guide to surviving the often daunting world of higher education. The book contains chapters written by a diverse group of experts who have experience of higher education themselves and who have professional and personal wisdom to impart. The majority of contributors are psychologists, and as the introduction indicates, maintaining and fostering good mental health is at the forefront of the book’s mission.

Each writer is heartwarming and honest, striking a good balance between an emphasis on the positive and exciting aspects of graduate study and being candid about the many struggles that graduate students often face, due to being minorities in their lives. programs to juggle parenthood through exhaustion and stress. The chapters provide both personal anecdotes and general advice, and there is something useful about each essay for everyone. Even undergraduates can find the book to be relevant to their lives. In a time troubled by the COVID-19 pandemic, so many students will appreciate the solace this book offers.

Arielle Shanok is a registered clinical psychologist specializing in depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. She works as the Assistant Director of the Wellness Center for Student Advisory Services at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. In addition to co-creation and co-publishing Thrive at doctoral school, she has published articles and book chapters focusing on the effectiveness of psychotherapy, gender, money and teenage pregnancy.

The haunting (1963)

At the heart of nearly every gothic horror film is a towering and sinister edifice, dating all the way back to Georges Méliès’ silent short of 1896, The devil’s mansionknown in English as The haunted castle and widely considered the first horror film. Of course, stories set in evil or corrupt houses date back centuries, so it’s no shock that such settings have also played a major role in horror cinema since the beginning. Still, 1963 The hauntingdirected by Robert Wise (West Side Story) and the famous novel by Shirley Jackson The Haunting of Hill Housemarked a major change.

This is because, unlike previous haunted house images which were often placed in period settings, The haunting takes place in the present (or at least as it was in 1963). Its four main characters – a paranormal investigator, a troubled young woman seeking to escape her dreary life, a chic and sexually free lesbian clairvoyant, and the empowered young man who has become a great wealth – are all modern. And the abode itself, Hill House, though dark and ominous on the outside, is brilliantly lit on the inside. Nevertheless, it has its share of secret corners and forbidden places.

The tormented woman at the center of the story, Eleanor (Julie Harris), is manipulated by the house almost as soon as she enters, and Wise does a brilliant job of not only throwing the audience off balance, but never letting us see what’s going on. exactly haunts Hill House. Darkness eventually encroaches on its inhabitants, and the house looms over the film’s finale like something out of a nightmare, making it the gold standard of haunted house films to this day. – DK

Usher House (1960)

It was only a matter of time before one of the masters of gothic literature, legendary American writer Edgar Allan Poe, found his way to the big screen. And that’s thanks to an unlikely source: Roger Corman, a B-movie producer and director known for churning out cheap black-and-white fare for drive-ins. Corman did much of his early work for American International Pictures (AIP), which decided to take a risk on a (relatively) larger, full-color film based on one of Poe’s best-known short stories.

The result was so successful that Corman made seven more films in what became known as the “Poe Cycle”, but Usher House define the model. Drenched in glorious color and a morbid atmosphere, the film was a cut above Corman and AIP’s previous efforts and a turning point for gothic horror films as well. The film follows Philip Winthrop (Mark Damon) to the main building, where his fiancée Madeline Usher (Myrna Fahey) lives with her brother Roderick (Vincent Price). No sooner does Winthrop arrive than the spectral Roderick informs him of his disapproval of the couple’s wedding plans: all members of the Usher family, Roderick claims, are ultimately afflicted with madness, and he wants the curse to end. with him and Madeline.

A ruined, ghostly and isolated mansion, mysterious illnesses, obsessive and unhealthy family dynamics, a horribly premature burial, madness and murder – these are all elements of Poe’s fiction that have become standard movie trappings. gothic horror, but Usher House and Corman’s subsequent Poe adaptations infused them with a new level of psychosexual dread and fatalism. Vincent Price’s Doomed Roderick was one of his greatest performances, and Richard Matheson’s screenplay and Floyd Crosby’s cinematography solidified the mood Corman was trying to evoke – a mood that would linger through subsequent films. and beyond. – DK

In France, a particularly intense heat wave should begin on July 11 and last more than a week with temperatures of more than 38°C over a large part of the territory. The exceptionally hot weather will also affect the Iberian Peninsula, with temperatures above 40°C in Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom. It comes after France, Portugal and Spain experienced heat waves in June, and Spain recorded the hottest May weather since the turn of the century.

Firefighters in France have already raised concerns about the increased possibility of wildfires due to dry and hot weather.

At the end of June, Japan was also hit by an unprecedented heat wave. The mercury rose to 35°C for consecutive days in the capital, Tokyo, and up to 40°C in Isesaki in the center of the country. These consistently high temperatures broke records for the time of year and were quickly followed by torrential rains over the Japanese archipelago.

Across the Pacific Ocean, the western states of the United States have been hit by severe droughts that are becoming an annual event. This year, however, experts fear reservoir levels will drop so low that the Hoover Dam will no longer be able to generate electricity for hundreds of thousands of American homes.

>> A mega drought in the United States creates problems for the Hoover Dam reservoir

In early July, a state of emergency was declared in five regions of northern Italy where high temperature records were broken one after another. Rome spent several days cooking at 38°C. In Sicily, the maximum in the municipality of Floridia reached 46°C. Saturday July 2, for the first time, temperatures of 10°C were recorded at the top of the Marmolada glacier, in the Italian Alps.

Following the heat wave, part of the glacier broke off and fell, killing 11 people. The next day, a pine forest south of Rome was the starting point of a forest fire.

“Interconnected phenomena” intensified by climate change

How to explain these extreme weather events that occur almost at the same time in several places around the world? “It’s absolutely no coincidence,” says Pascal Yiou, a climatologist and researcher at the Laboratory of Climate and Environmental Sciences. “These meteorological phenomena are interconnected. A cyclone or heat wave in the United States has repercussions all over the planet contributing to monsoons in India, for example.

While it’s not unusual for such events to occur in tandem, it remains unclear why they occur with such intensity. Yiou says global warming is to blame. “It disrupts the whole dynamics of the atmosphere,” he says. “Rising temperatures at the poles are disrupting wind energy and, therefore, the alternation of cyclones and anticyclones.”

Global warming creates, for example, favorable conditions for air mass conflicts between the ground and high altitudes. These conflicts can cause phenomena such as “cold drops” when a bubble of cold air collides with warmer temperatures near the ground, causing heavy rain and thunderstorms. Conversely, when a bubble of warm air collides with cool air at ground level, it can cause heat waves.

There is then a domino effect. A heat wave can intensify a drought or cause forest fires. Heavy downpours can trigger floods or landslides.

Climatologists such as Yiou say this vicious cycle is alarming. UN climate experts announced a ‘code red for humanity’ in a 2021 report that said heat waves, floods and other extreme weather events would increase in ‘unprecedented’ ways, in terms of frequency, scale, areas affected and times of year when they may occur.

“The start of summer this year, just like last year, shows that the warnings are already a reality,” Yiou said.

Attribution science

Although the overall impact of warming on global weather cannot be denied, scientists have long been reluctant to identify climate change as the cause of individual events. But since 2015, an international group of scientists known as World Weather Attribution (WWA) has been developing a method to determine how closely the intensity of a weather event relates to the climate crisis. The practice is called the science of attribution.

“Meteorological phenomena always come in multiples,” explains Robert Vautard, meteorologist and climatologist from the climate science research center of the Pierre-Simon Laplace Institute, which contributes to WWA research, “But today we know that global warming can have an impact on the probability of certain events. The objective is now to determine [how it affects] The scale.”

They use the same methods to calculate the influence of global warming on a series of phenomena. “Using numerical models, we compare a planet A, representing the planet we live on, to a planet B, representing a planet without any human activity,” explains Vautard. “We run thousands of simulations and count how many times an event occurs on each planet and at what level of intensity.

The goal of attribution science is to understand how global warming presents itself worldwide in our daily lives, and evidence shows that it contributes significantly to extreme weather events.

The WWA found that the heat wave that hit India and Pakistan in March and April was 30 times more likely to have happened due to climatic imbalances. A heat wave in Canada in June 2021 was found to be 150 times more likely due to global warming. “Concretely, what we have shown is that this event could have happened without climate change, but it was much less likely,” explains Vautard.

Measuring human influence

The analysis can also show that the events are not related to global warming. This was the case with winter storms Eleanor and Friederike, which hit Europe in January 2018.

In some cases, social and economic factors also play a role. The researchers found that climate change was not the main cause of famine in Madagascar, although the UN claims otherwise. Instead, poverty, natural weather conditions and poor infrastructure were found to be the main causes.

“Also, if we’re talking about something like flooding, we have to weigh things carefully,” says Vautard. “In addition to rainfall, there is also the question of human management of waterways. Fires are often caused by human behavior. But the human element is often difficult to measure.

It can also be more difficult to draw clear links between global warming and certain types of weather, such as cyclones and tornadoes. Yet, says Vautard, “today the influence of climate change on heat and cold waves is undeniable”.

The WWA will soon begin an investigation into whether global warming contributed to the heat wave in Japan in June.

The analysis of previous extreme weather events has already clarified one thing. “Extreme weather events will now be the norm,” says Vautard. “The only way to prevent the situation from getting worse is to fight global warming as much as possible.”

This article has been adapted from the original in French.

Abu Dhabi (CNN) — Cycling holidays usually conjure up images of pedaling through the French countryside, a baguette strapped to the handlebars, or perhaps a breezy ride along the flat, bike-friendly paths that wind their way through cities like Copenhagen or Amsterdam. .

They don’t usually involve the Arabian Desert, where summer temperatures and intense midday sun can make it hot enough to blast bike tires.

But that could soon change.

A two-wheeled revolution is beginning to gather pace in Abu Dhabi, with huge investment propelling both residents and visitors into the saddle for cycling experiences unlike anywhere else on Earth.

Last year it was named by sport cycling’s governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale, or UCI, as an official “Bike City” – the first in the Middle East and Asia to win the accolade. These scorching temperatures mean it could literally be the hottest cycling city in the world.

At first glance, Abu Dhabi’s cycling credentials aren’t immediately obvious. Built from oil wealth, the capital of the United Arab Emirates and the surrounding terrain are the domain of automobiles. Gasoline prices are cheap, roads are wide, speed limits – outside urban areas – are very fast.

Take a closer look and that’s another story. In recent years, miles of dedicated cycle lanes have sprung up along new highways as the emirate has gradually established itself as the gateway to the UAE for cycling, introducing international racing and encouraging local talent.

Along the way, he has cooked up some exhilarating cycling experiences which, added to the extensive list of other Abu Dhabi attractions, could be a major draw for cycling fanatics and anyone looking to try something very different. .

Unsociable schedules

Participating, however, can involve some unsociable hours. In winter, milder climates are great for riding all day, but from May to September, with temperatures sometimes peaking around 48 C (118 F), the best time to ride is before sunrise or after sunset of the sun.

That’s why pals Andy Coleman and Dan Baltrusaitis can be found shortly after 6 a.m. on a Saturday morning pulling on their cycling shoes in a parking lot on Al Hudayriyat, an island south of the city that’s home to beach resorts and a nice build for that purpose. bike path.

“Why I do it, I don’t know,” laughs Coleman as the pair roll onto the slick asphalt to start their session.

Despite the early hour, they are not alone. Dozens of other cyclists fly around the network of circuits, which range from three to 10 kilometers and include an exhilarating track on the water. It’s mostly flat, but fierce headwinds ashore can add to the challenge.

“It’s been a great experience,” says Ricky Bautista, a member of a gang of uniformed riders who have been lapping together since the first light of day. The Bautista team work out of a bike shop in Dubai and have ventured over the border to try out the free facilities at Al Hudayriyat.

“I’m a beginner, but all my colleagues are cyclists and they said ‘try it and you’ll have fun’,” he says. “It’s really difficult today because of the wind, but then you change direction and you feel like you’re flying and it’s more pleasant.”

Many other clubs are also chasing others on the circuit. Men and women of all ages can be seen walking past the distant skyline of skyscrapers in the city’s financial district. Some arrive by car and others leave from home. There is also a bike-bus.

Healthy lifestyle

The Abu Dhabi Cycling Club coordinates cycling-related activities in Abu Dhabi.

Barry Neild/CNN

Established in 2017, the ADCC says around 1.7 billion dirhams ($460 million) has been invested in cycling with 445 kilometers (277 miles) of cycle path under construction. On the way, a new covered velodrome and a cycle path that will connect Abu Dhabi to Dubai.

The aim is to encourage as many people as possible to adopt cycling as part of a healthy lifestyle, but also to attract visitors. “One of the main goals is to attract more tourists to come for a cycling holiday in Abu Dhabi,” ADCC executive director Al Nukhaira Allkhyeli told CNN.

An avid cyclist himself, Allkhyeli often trains around one of the biggest highlights of Abu Dhabi’s cycling scene – the Yas Marina Circuit. The loop of the racecourse which hosts Formula 1 events is regularly open to the public for evening or morning cycling.

Even for non-F1 fans, tackling Marina Circuit is a delight, with gigantic grandstands looming up either side of the seven-kilometre loop, plus the occasional superyacht moored overlooking the track. The roar of the absent crowds still resounds in the room.

Novice riders will be torn between the need for speed or selfies as they race around the tarmac (avoiding accidental pit lane turns).

Surreal and Satisfying

The Al Hudayriyat track includes a section on the water.

Departure Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi

There are calmer – and indeed more extreme – cycling experiences to be had in Abu Dhabi.

Die-hard cyclists will want to head to Jebel Hafit, Abu Dhabi’s only true mountain, where a brutal switchback to nowhere offers sweeping views of the emirate and the chance to turn your legs into jelly.

Another desert highlight is the Al Wathba Bike Path, a slick, purpose-built bike path in the middle of nowhere that offers perhaps one of Abu Dhabi’s most surreal and satisfying biking adventures. .

Cycling on the Yas Marina F1 circuit is a pleasure.

Barry Neild/CNN

About an hour’s drive from the town centre, the entrance to the track is in a small cluster of buildings including a shower and toilet block, a small supermarket and a bike shop which hires out bikes by the hour tired but usable carbon race bikes.

It’s a regular racing venue in the cooler months, but in the summer the track comes alive as the sun dips below the horizon. Solar-powered streetlights dimly illuminate loops of up to 30 kilometers that stretch into the desert night.

Driving it solo is an exciting if slightly unnerving experience. It’s quiet out there among the dunes and, despite small puddles of electric light, very dark.

There’s nothing stopping you from blasting at top speed except for the occasional soft sand drift on the track. Here and there, a blown light bulb creates a mini-breakdown that riders will need to keep their composure to traverse without slamming on the brakes.

Horse riding all year round

The UCI has awarded Abu Dhabi Bike City status.

Barry Neild/CNN

Cycling headlong into the inky unknown of a hot desert night might seem like a fitting metaphor for Abu Dhabi’s costly pursuit of a sport seemingly at odds with its climate.

But according to Isabella Burczak, head of advocacy and development at the UCI, the emirate is on the path to success, having demonstrated commitment and strong political will behind its vision to encourage and develop cycling for leisure, transportation and sports.

Its Bike City status, she says, should help it continue to achieve these goals and share its knowledge and skills with a network of 20 other Bike Cities, from Bergen in Norway to Wollongong in Australia.

And – if cyclists adapt by riding sooner or later, and arrangements are made like employers providing showers for sweaty commuters – that heat won’t hurt.

“In any case, hot weather, cold weather, I think solutions can be found so that people can still enjoy cycling for whatever reason,” she told CNN.

And can it really compete with classic cycling destinations like France, Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands?

Thanks to that relentless desert sun, it already is, says Aditya Bhiwandkar, cycling enthusiast and sales assistant at Wolfi’s.

“In Europe there is snow and rain,” he says. “But in Abu Dhabi you can really ride 365 days a year.”

Fans of German puppet comedy superstar Sascha Grammel have known for some time now: Spandau’s sympathetic ventriloquist and proud puppet maker and audience favorites such as eagle pheasant Frederic Freiherr von Furchensumpf, lady turtle Josie or the ecotrophologist Dr. Peter Hacke, is always good for a surprise.

Grammel swears by the music of German metal band The Unity to keep him motivated during fitness workouts. Apparently her favorite trail for sweating, biking, running and lifting is “Close To Crazy”. But that’s not all! Grammel and her quirky, endearing puppet roommate now appear in The Unity’s latest video – and you can see they’re enjoying every second of it.

Referring to the song’s unusual title, Grammel’s alter ego, Frédéric, questions his boss in the intro of the video: “Did you write this song? “And against Grammel’s honest denial:” But that would have been very appropriate! You are close to madness too!

“Close To Crazy” (Live) is the forerunner of The Unity’s new live album, The Devil You Know – Live, scheduled for release by Steamhammer / SPV on November 12, and includes recordings of their touring highlights in Germany and several European countries between 2017 and 2020.

The accompanying video shows The Unity as comrades in arms with the two members of Gamma Ray Henjo Richter (guitar) and Michael Ehré (drums, Primal Fear), alongside his comrades Gianbattista Manenti (vocals), Stef E (guitar ), Jogi Sweers (bass) and Sascha Onnen (keyboards) at the Masters Of Rock Festival in the Czech Republic, where the band, as always, managed to wow fans and critics alike.

The band will also be back on stage for The Devil You Know – Live big launch party on December 25-26 at Jahnhalle in Nordenham, Germany. Additional shows, festival appearances and tours across Europe are also slated for 2022. And, who knows, you might even spot Sascha Grammel with her puppet family in the audience at one concert or another. Like all the best fans, they’re pretty much crazy, after all.

The Devil You Know – Live was recorded between 2017 and 2020 during tours in Germany and several other European countries, during concerts in small clubs overheated with sweat streaming down the walls, but also during major festivals like the Masters Of Rock in the Czech Republic and Germany at the Karlsruhe Knockout Festival and at the Bang Your Head in Balingen. The tracklist focuses on material from their albums The Unity (2017) and Rise (2018), but in We Don’t Need Them Here also includes the release of the single from their third album Pride (2020), a song that was the subject of controversial discussions at the time of its release and was one of the highlights of their tour with Rhapsody Of Fire. Speaking of which: The Italian band was just one of many renowned bands that The Unity has toured extensively. Equally unforgettable were their concert tours alongside Sinner, Edguy and Axel Rudi Pell, where The Unity showcased their exceptional talents every night, heralding their next equally acclaimed headlining tours.

The album was mixed and mastered by Achim Köhler, and the cover courtesy of Felipe Machado Franco (Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian, Iron Savior) features The Unity’s new mascot, Dave, who is honored with the title of the album. Manenti said: “There is an English saying: ‘Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know’. We believe that this motto perfectly describes the situation in which the world finds itself now. “

The Devil You Know – Live will be released on November 12 via SPV / Steamhammer in the following configurations:

-Digipack CD
– Download / Streaming

Pre-order here.

– Exclusive CD bundle with a rare 7 “vinyl single only in the Steamhammer store

Pre-order here.

List of tracks:

“Revenge”
“Last betrayal”
“No hero”
“No more lies”
“Welcome to the house”
“Firesign”
“Storm”
“We don’t need them here”
“The willow”
“You cheat on me”
“Close to crazy”
“Never forget”

If you think motorcycles are getting more and more expensive and more inaccessible for us mere mortals who don’t own a business and don’t trade stocks, then the rise of the track-only toy on the track carries the consequences. things to a new level.

Indeed, not only are these sharp special weapons the specialists of the special, you can’t even bring them home.

But that’s the point… they’re bikes that showcase a manufacturer’s innovation and instinct without having to worry about those emissions regulations and pesky mirrors.

The latest track bike to come out is the KTM RC 8C, a special 800cc sports bike from the Austrian manufacturer which honors its success in Moto2 and MotoGP. Only 100 were available and they were snapped up in less than five minutes …

In short, there is clearly a market for ultra-exclusive toys for those who can afford / justify it. Here we take a look at 10 examples of motorcycles that make no sense in everyday life in the best possible way.

* price like new

1993 Ducati Supermono [$30,000]

Much, of course, has been made of Ducati’s 916 V-twin, but less well-known is its track-based single-cylinder little brother, the 550cc single-cylinder Supermono.

Built only as a racer intended for the then popular Supermono / Sound of Singles series of the same name, it featured many innovations that featured on the 916 but was also ultra-light thanks to the heavy use of carbon fiber (as in the box air, body, subframe and even fuel tank).

With 65 hp available from a desmo four-valve single that was actually half of an 888 racing V-twin, the Supermono was fitted with the best cycle parts (Ohlins suspension, Marchesini wheels, Brembo brakes, etc. .) and is considered by many to be the purest Ducati ‘desmo’ ever built.

Unfortunately, it’s also very rare – only 67 built until 1995 – and expensive. At the time, it was $ 30,000 new. Today they typically cost over £ 70,000

2006 Harley-Davidson VRXSE V-Rod ‘Destroyer’ [$19,995]

Here’s one you probably didn’t know about. Created for the drag strip rather than the race track, the Harley-Davidson VRXSE was arguably the fastest production HD ever built.

A production drag racer (the US has a huge drag racing scene) based on the late V-Rod, the VRXSE was developed by Harley’s Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) with Screamin ‘Eagle (hence the bit “SE”)

It produced a decent 165 hp, could hit 144 mph, and cost $ 19,995.

Originally only 150 were to be built, but this turned out to be so popular that 600 were eventually made.

2015 Honda RC213V-S [£137,000]

Arguably the most famous and desirable production MotoGP replica of all, the Honda RC213V-S was actually sold in a street-legal version, but was necessarily emasculated at 159bhp.

However, it also came with a track-only sport kit that included a racing hose that boosted the horsepower (and noise) of the MotoGP-derived V4 to a whopping 215bhp which, with its dry weight of 170kg, made it ultra-sized. -compact and its racing specifications. suspension, brakes and wheels, really gives the closest MotoGP bike experience that mere mortals can buy.

As long as you had the requisite £ 137,000 and weren’t too put off by the harmless styling, that’s …

2015 Kawasaki H2R [£41,000]

Arguably one of the most extreme and amazing motorcycles of recent years, Kawasaki’s supercharged H2 family has been nothing short of stunning.

First launched in 2015, two models have been made available: the £ 22,000, road legal, 210bhp H2 and this one the ‘track only’ (although we still don’t know which type of track Kawasaki had in mind), completely unrestricted. , 310 hp, £ 41,000 H2R.

Not only more powerful than the road H2, the H2R is also lighter, sprinkled with carbon fiber, better equipped (with Ohlins suspension, etc.) and, unsurprisingly, faster too, capable of exceeding 200 mph.

It might not really be a racer, but as a track-only missile, few motorcycles are faster or more thrilling.

2017 BMW HP4 Race [£68,000]

Forget this year’s top-of-the-line M1000RR, the track-only HP4 Race 2017 is the ultimate S1000RR – albeit now based on the old version.

A £ 68,000 limited edition, track-only version of the RR of the day, the HP4 got the best of everything including the carbon fiber frame and bodywork, alloy tank, 2D dashboard racing, suspension and brakes fully meet WorldSBK specs, upgraded electronics and engine tuned to be, quite literally, the best S1000RR of its time.

The result was 215 hp, an ultralight weight of 171 kg and the best components. Of course only 750 were made, it was designed just to give BMW an edge in racing and it’s incredibly expensive, but if you want the closest experience you can buy to a full WorldSBK machine, this is ‘is all.

2019 MV Agusta F3 XX [If you have to ask, you probably canâ€t afford it…]

Italian legends of exoticism MV Agusta built their legacy on the path to success, so it’s no surprise to see him here.

The MV Agusta F3 XX is a complete and track-only version of the triple F3 800 developed by MV’s racing department, “Reparto Corse” (which literally translates to “Racing Department”).

Unsurprisingly, it is dripping carbon fiber, has a racing AiM dashboard, a special SC-Project 3: 1 pipe, a tuned engine producing a claimed 160HP, an upgraded Marzocchi fork with an Ohlins cartridge and an Ohlins TTX shock absorber. at the rear, higher- Brembo brakes and Marchesini wheels, you get the idea.

In fact, the only thing they didn’t brag about was the price, which only came to light with serious investigation. It can’t be cheap so …

2019 Aprilia RSV4 X [€39,950]

You might assume that the most extreme Italian, track-only superbikes are from Ducati or MV Agusta – but think again.

The Aprilia RSV4X was launched in 2019 as the ultimate track version of its already formidable RSV4 superbike and, with a total output of 225hp from its race-tuned 1100cc V4, a dry weight of just 165kg due the amount of carbon and the lack of road equipment. , improved electronics (they were some of the best in the first place) and the best of cycle parts, that was definitely it.

It was also ultra rare – only 10 (hence the X) were built, each available at € 39,950, but then if you want the best …

After the success of this bike, Aprilia followed it with an equally exotic and track-only version of its Tuono V4 – the Tuono V4X.

2021 Ducati Superleggara V4 [€86,000]

If you thought Ducati’s “everyday” lineup was already at the more extreme end, then the Ducati Superleggara V4 is amps up to eleven.

Technically, this is not a track-only model and those who can afford the surprisingly expensive asking price of € 86,000 will no doubt want to scroll through any rides they can find, but that’s only the track where their hypersportbike deserves to spend. his days.

Perhaps the closest thing to a MotoGP machine that you can buy without actually participating in it, the Ducati Superleggara is ultralight at 159kg, offers 234bhp skin peeling, and is packed with all kinds of tech and technology. ‘sculpted wings to keep you in the sun.

It’s not entirely uncompromising down the road, although you’ll need all the patience in the world not to be tempted to break a few laws with so many raw grunts at your fingertips.

It is up to the trail because only then can you get every penny of this huge prize.

Racing Yamaha R6 2021 [£12,099]

Here’s one that became ‘track only’ more by accident than the design – but still a tempting option for track junkies.

The Yamaha R6 has always been the fastest, most agile and arguably the best on track of any Japanese 600 super sports car and remains the machine of choice in both WSS and TT.

The latest, redesigned and improved version debuted in 2017, but slightly disappointed the road trim being necessarily limited to 116 hp, although well over 120 hp is possible with a track pipe.

For 2021, however, it has proven unable to economically reconfigure it to meet the new Euro5 regulations and has therefore been retained, in a slightly modified form (no indicators, mirrors, etc.) of some of the alternatives here. , makes it one of the most affordable “track only†bikes of all.

2021 KTM RC 8C [£31,000]

Which updates us and where we started, ie with the enticing new RC 8C from KTM. It’s based on the powerful 890 Duke R twin-cylinder engine with a bespoke frame with an adjustable head and cycle parts that inevitably include the best WP suspension and Brembo brakes.

The “meat and potatoes†of all that is 126 hp and just 140 kg, making it crisp performance by anyone’s definition.

While, with just 100 products for £ 31,000, that means they’ll still be quite exclusive.

But then, if you are looking for a runner that is mind-melted, crowd-pulling, right?

NEW YORK, NY – It all comes down to this. Almost a month after the start of the UEFA European Championship with 24 teams vying for the title, Italy and England will meet on Sunday at 3 p.m. for the final of this prestigious tournament.

Neither team lost a game on the road to the Euro 2020 final – so called because it was scheduled to take place last year but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Italy beat Spain on penalties and England beat Denmark in extra time in their respective semi-finals.

While England and Italy have a well-documented football history, the two sides were not chosen by many experts to reach the final. The English have not played in an international final since 1966 and have never won a European championship in their long history.

On the other hand, Italy had more chances to win it all at the start of the tournament, but the national team are still coming out of a 2018 World Cup cycle where they failed to qualify for the first time since 1958.

The United States may not be playing in the competition, but New York City has plenty of English and Italian natives and fans whose Sunday kick-off time is circled on their schedules.

Here’s where you can watch the game online and on TV, plus some of the best Italian and English football bars in town to watch with friends and supporters.

TV and online

Much like the rest of the tournament, the final will be broadcast on ESPN. If you don’t have a TV, you can go online on Watch ESPN.

English bars

Carragher’s Pub Restaurant & Seasonal Rooftop: 228 West 39th Street

• The bar is generally known as a meeting place for Liverpool fans, as this English waterhole is also very popular for international matches.

The Churchill: 45 East 28th Street

• Anglophiles will love this very British bar, which presents itself as the “home of English supporters”.

Italian bar

Ribalta: 48, 12th Street East

• Ribalta has already been a major meeting place for Italian fans during the tournament, and the Lower Manhattan bar and restaurant will once again welcome fans for the final.

Other fun football bars in New York

Smithfield Hall NYC, 138 West 25th Street: When it comes to football bars, it’s hard not to start with Smithfield. The bar is called “the home of football in New York”, and it’s worth checking out for this tournament final.

Football Factory at Legends, 6 West 33rd Street: Lower Manhattan prides itself on creating a true game day experience with fantastic surroundings and 20 large screens that show over 100 football games every week.

Banter Williamsburg Public House, 132 Havemeyer Street: The Brooklyn Bar specializes in European football matches, and outdoor seating and viewing is also available in the football mecca.

O’Hanlons, 349 East 14th Street: The Irish sports bar in the East Village puts football first when it comes to audiences. With over 16 beers and draft beers, a fun environment, and employees who know their football, O’Hanlons is a great place to watch the Euro 2020 final.

The Astoria Tavern, 33-16 23rd Avenue: For those in Queens, there is no better place to watch a football game than the Irish pub Astoria Tavern. The local joint has the best happy hour in America and has enough big-screen TVs to make any sports fan happy.

11th Street Bar, 510 East 11th Street: The official home of the New York Liverpool Supporters Club, this East Village bar is absolutely great for soccer games. With plenty of drinks and a focus on whole property football, this is another great place to catch the Euro 2020 final.

Clinton Hall Bronx, 601 East 189th Street: For any football fan in the Bronx, Clinton Hall is a fun place to do just about anything, including catching a Euro 2020 game. The bar offers plenty of food and drink options, with some of the top rated burgers.

Time Out, the global media and hospitality brand that helps people explore and discover the soul of the city, has released its list of the 16 best city breaks in Europe for 2022. The list features the official capitals of culture, lesser-known second cities and under the radar destinations that will host some of the biggest festivals and openings of the year.

As vaccination and booster rollouts continue around the world, Time Out believes that in 2022 travelers will rediscover a passion for city breaks, especially with this year being rich in new cultural openings and in return. many big festivals. Time Out’s network of 16 expert local European copywriters and writers chose these emerging destinations because of their great food, culture, nightlife and community spirit – things that have always made European cities great places to be. . In these climate-conscious times, the list also only features places that are easy to reach by train and bus.

Caroline McGinn, Global Editor-in-Chief of Time Out, says: “Over the past 18 months, travelers have largely explored closer to home, with country trips particularly popular, but in 2022 we expect city breaks will make a triumphant return. Where else can that be? Do you order an espresso, walk into a museum, taste a local liquor and go out? Whether you’re looking to attend a successful festival or visit a new museum, we hope our list provides you with some much-needed travel inspiration this winter.

Read the full list at www.timeout.com/europe/things-to-do/best-city-breaks-in-europe

1. Arles, France

Known for being the city where Vincent van Gogh completed his legendary series of sunflowers in the 1880s, Arles is also home to Provence’s largest street market and is the region’s cultural capital for 2022. Highlights are LUMA , a vibrant new arts district. with multimedia exhibitions and art installations; the Carrières des Lumières, an immersive artistic experience in a career; and Les Rencontres de la Photographie, a festival featuring pop-up bars, food trucks and world-renowned photographic exhibitions.

1. Brno, Czech Republic

The second Czech city has repositioned itself as a post-industrial science and technology hub with a reinvented food and drink scene featuring everything from contemporary international to Element in VýÄep na Stojáka, a modern take on a traditional pub. In 2022, the INdustrial project celebrates Brno’s manufacturing tradition, with several former industrial buildings open to the public for the first time, as well as Káznice, a Habsburg-era prison, which is also being redeveloped and will house events in summer.

1. Kaunas, Lithuania

There is no better time to visit Kaunas than in 2022, as it has been named the European Capital of Culture, with a year-long program of over 1,000 events to celebrate, including exhibitions by Yoko Ono. , William Kentridge, Marina Abramović and more. Be sure to check out the rest of the delicacies the city has to offer, like its hundreds of Modernist masterpieces, as well as the MK ÄŒiurlionis Art Museum (dedicated to the Symbolist musician and painter) and the Devil’s Museum frankly. weird.

1. Odense, Denmark

Just 90 minutes by train from Copenhagen, Odense is small but perfectly formed. It is home to the brand new architectural wonder, the Hans Christian Andersen Museum, which brings the story of the fairytale author and the worlds he created to life. A new light rail is under construction and is expected to open in spring 2022, connecting the beautiful old districts of the city and the new lively districts.

1. Ljubljana, Slovenia

In 2022, the Slovenian capital will host Velo-City, a summit aimed at encouraging cycling across the continent. For more casual bikers, bike rental in the city center is free. Restaurants are encouraged to use local ingredients, so meals often include freshly picked vegetables and produce from urban farms. For music fans, the Ljubljana Festival, featuring world-renowned classical virtuosos, is back after a Covid-induced hiatus. There is also a jazz festival every July, and the city is transformed into a stage during the Ana Desetnica Street Theater Festival.

1. Oslo, Norway

The revitalization of the historic port district of Bjørvika is well underway, with the brand new Munch Museum now open to the public, right next to the Deichman Bjørvika Library and the famous opera house (with its own urban beach, Operastranda). For foodies, Oslo’s food scene now includes VIA Village, a bustling new food court, just minutes from the Aker Brygge area. For those visiting in the summer and beyond, the long-awaited new National Museum will open in June and earn the title of Largest Museum in the Nordic Countries.

1. Turku, Finland

Often referred to as the “Paris of Finland” for its abundance of sidewalk cafes, Turku is Finland’s oldest city (and historic capital). With a great music scene, next year will see the highly anticipated return of festivals like Archipelago Sea Jazz and Ruisrock. It’s also a leader in sustainable tourism, with the city running electric boat tours, nature trips, and food tours that showcase the best local produce. This is all part of Turku’s plans to become carbon neutral and ‘zero waste’ by 2040. Want to get there greener? The city is easily accessible by train (from Helsinki) and ferry (from Stockholm and Tallinn).

1. Valencia, Spain

Returning with a bang (literally) in 2022, Valencia will once again host the Las Fallas Festival to kick off spring with bonfires, fireworks, parades and parties throughout March. Nearby, La Tomatina, the ‘world’s biggest food fight’, will also be back for the first time in two years. This year, Valencia was named not only the European capital of smart tourism but also the world capital of design, with more than 100 events scheduled for the latter.

1. Sheffield, England

Sheffield was recently named the UK’s ‘greenest city’, with its 4.5 million trees (more per person than any other city in Europe), 250 public parks and 52 square miles of national park. Combine lush greenery – and proximity to the Peak District – with a bustling city rich in culture, food and drink, and you have two types of vacations rolled into one. Do you prefer the green of a football field? Sheffield will host three group matches and a semi-final of the 2022 UEFA European Women’s Football Championship in July.

1. Trikala, Greece

Trikala, in northwest Thessaly, is Greece’s first official “smart cityâ€. This city under the radar is green in every sense of the word: a shady spot topped by its Byzantine castle and crisscrossed by the Lithaios River filled with trout. Getting around is easy with a bike-share program and a host of new bike paths – and when summer temperatures soar, there are pit stops where you can collect (free) water. . It also has the country’s first driverless buses. See you in August for the three-day Ziria music festival that takes over the ski slopes of Trikala.

1. Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina

In the northwest corner of Bosnia and Herzegovina, you will find Bihać on the banks of the magical Una River. It is the perfect city break for nature lovers who wish to admire the panoramic view of the valley: the cycle path from the city center to the remains of the Sokolac fortress is now open and new eco-friendly accommodation such as Japodski Otoci and Eko-Selo Natura Art offers both adventure and restoration. Add in several local initiatives to clean up the surrounding lakes and rivers, and you’ve got a destination that encompasses all that Bosnia’s most beautiful river has to offer.

1. Liverpool, England

Liverpool’s nightlife is one of a kind – so it was no wonder the city hosted the UK’s first club night in a year, with footage being shown around the world. Now is the time for everyone to find out too, whether it’s for a night out at a club in the ‘Baltic Triangle’, or something bigger like Creamfields or the International Beatles Week in August. 2022 will also see the welcome return of DaDaFest International, one of the world’s leading festivals dedicated to the work of artists with disabilities, deaf people and neurodiverse – a welcome reminder of what an inclusive place really is.

1. Rotterdam, the Netherlands

After the success of Eurovision 2021, Rotterdam feels like it has a new lease of life. After undergoing extensive renovations in the run-up to the 2020 event – only to be delayed for a year – the song contest has firmly placed the Netherlands’ second city on the tourist map . No doubt many will flock here in 2022 to explore its incredible art museums and architecture, as well as top-notch cuisine and nightlife. Topping the list should be Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, the world’s first publicly accessible art storage facility housing 151,000 objects. Then marvel at the floating buildings comprising an office, a farm, and even an entire street – all developed in response to the fact that 90 percent of Rotterdam is below sea level.

1. Milan, italy

In an effort to shed its industrial image and create a more sustainable metropolis, this northern Italian city continues to expand its parks and cycle paths to create a “green lung†around the center. 2022 will see the return of big events like the famous furniture fair Salone del Mobile (April 5-10), taking control of Milan with lively art installations and events open to design professionals and the public. More in your music? In June and July, Stromae, Chemical Brothers and Green Day perform at the Milano Summer Festival.

1. Freiburg, Germany

Considered the sunniest and warmest city in Germany, Freiburg is also the gateway to the Black Forest: this well-known natural wonder is only a short walk from the center. A long-time champion of conservation and sustainability, Friborg-en-Bresau is a shining example of how ‘green living’ and ‘urban sprawl’ can go hand in hand. Recent initiatives include a million euro initiative to plant new trees and Dietenbach, a climate neutral eco-district which is currently under construction.

1. Inverness, Scotland

The perfect starting point to begin a journey of exploring the Highlands, Inverness has all of Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle and the Culloden Battlefield close by. If you want a cultural side to it, in 2022 the Eden Court Theater will host some of the UK’s best comics, as well as productions from Emma Rice’s ‘Jersey Boys’ and ‘Wuthering Heights’. Musically, July sees the return of the powerful family-friendly Belladrum Tartan Heart festival, with lineup including Nile Rodgers & Chic and Ibibio Sound Machine.