The need for speed and the quest for democracy.

Hi Carolyn,



Well, first of all, happy Memorial Day weekend. Hopefully yours goes as well as our just finished Victoria Day weekend.  "Old  Sol " came through even after the wet blanket weather prognosticators had been pitching gloom and greyness. The last part of the weekend was especially warm and inviting. I managed to clock a fair number of klms on the  motorcycle to boot. Most gratifying!

Speaking of things moving and mechanical, Memorial Day also means The Indianapolis 500 race. Even now I can remember  those cheeky, fey Brits turning the Indy 500 and the North-American auto racing establishment on its collective ear in the mid sixties when they came over with their spidery, spindly little rear engined







Formula One-derived cars and simply ran away from the great Yankee born front engined, pre-WW2 engineered behemoths that had dominated  " The Brickyard "  for half of forever.  For the pimply-faced, greaseball gearhead that was me in my teens, this was drama of the highest order. The only thing that would come along to supplant it would be girls.










In 2014, phalanxes  of technicians, engineers and laptop toting support crews will descend upon the track. They will be armed with vehicles whose fundamental design parameters, by necessity, include bodywork that must manage airflow so as to keep them from becoming airborne as they hurtle around at speeds inconceivably beyond those of the old beasts seen above.

 

 

 

Okay, I believe I've had my dose of mechanical methadone for now. Back to more here and now in my world issues.

 

 

 

We are in the final throes of a provincial election here in Ontario. This one has been pretty pedestrian in most respects. In one way, however, its been quite refreshing. Recent legislation has mandated that the first half of the campaign period be essentially free of advertising in print, online or in electronic media. That has made a palpable difference, for me at least. Only now, in the final 3 weeks, will the electioneering onslaught begin.  The rationale is that all parties will essentially be on a level playing field if they are limited to a short time period during which to make their cases to the voting public.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In previous elections my appetite for  platform details would have been satiated by now after weeks enduring the cacophony of promises, recriminations and just plain hyperbole. Instead, I have found myself actively seeking out the positions of the parties on key issues. It's delightfully pro-active I'd say.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My appetite for pro-activity now includes my physical well-being. My LSBH and I have joined a fitness facility that includes a large salt-water pool.  This declaration may seem rhetorical to you, Carolyn,  since I get the feeling that you are almost  as physically active as one can feasibly be. For me, however, this is well into the realm of the unprecedented. My first half hour fling at swimming lengths has certainly opened my eyes as to how unfit I am. Here's hoping I stick to it.



Okay, once more to the riddle cave. Before getting to the current stuff lemme rewind. I have both a defense and an apology to make here about the last couple of riddles I put up. My magnetism riddle, I feel, wasn't tenuous or a stretch in the least, Carolyn. I went back and looked at it after seeing that you felt it was a bit thin. After careful reconsideration, I  find myself quite attracted to the magnetism item - pun thoroughly intended.






I do want to apologize, however, for last weeks riddle.  It was sports. Throwing in "atavism" and using such an artsy-fartsy pseudo-esoteric tone was bad form.  That one was a stretch, I will say. I hereby declare that it was far from being one of my best. I will gladly absorb my lexicological lashes in this case.

Your last riddle, even though the middle line gave me some perplexity, is, I believe, sunflowers.



And here's a newbie.

With your accomplices, pen and ink

You  hoard information and turn it into mountains

Digital media has not banished you

Just yet.

 

 

 

 TTFN,




Don





All images sourced from Google Images.

Fig. 1 - www.speedygreasemonkey.com
Fig. 2 - Wikipedia.com
Fig. 3 - www.legendsofnascar.com
Fig. 4 - www. bleacherreport.com
Fig. 5 - www.npr.org
Fig. 6 - www.virginactive.co.uk
Fig. 7 - www.heritage.nf.ca
Fig. 8 - www.hdwallpapers.in