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Historic

Drive Time

Here’s a biennial pleasure:  the Historic Grand Prix Race of Monaco, which took place last Sunday.

(It’s an 8-hour video, watch it in segments or by race.)  The only thing which spoiled it for me was the ubiquitous appearance of facemasks — okay, also the lack of crowds, because only Monegasques (citizens of Monaco) were allowed to watch because of you-know-what.

Anyway.

The cars and races are grouped by era, and the first race (post-WWI to1961 F1 cars only) made parts of me tingle that haven’t tingled in years (Maserati 250F, oh yeah baby):

One of the most beautiful race cars ever made.

The second race featured pre-WWII cars (1928-1938), a.k.a.  the “supercharged” models:  Frazer-Nash, Talbot-Lago, Bugatti 35, Mercedes SSK, Riley, Maserati 6CM, Delage… be still, my beating heart.  Here’s the Bugatti 35B:

Supercharged… woof woof.

The next race was for the teeny 1961-1965 F1 era cars… the era of Lotus, a.k.a. the era of Jim Clark and Graham Hill, driving 1500cc engines.

…all following the Colin Chapman maxim:  “Make it faster.  Add less.”

Race 4 (1966-1972 era) was the time when aerofoils made their first appearance in F1 — and turned the cars from tubular shapes (like the Lotus above) into space-age machines, with wider tires as well.  Also, the engines grew from four-cylinder 1500cc into flat-12 three-liter monsters, and (other than Ferrari) the marque names changed a little, too:  McLaren, Surtees, Brabham…  and here’s the Matra 120C:

The cars are getting wider, here:  in earlier eras, the cars could fit three across the track, comfortably.  No more.

Anyway:  let me not go on and on — watch the whole thing for yourselves.  And enjoy… I certainly did.  And from a later race, here’s an Aston Martin DB3S:

…also, the peerless Maserati 300S:

And if that doesn’t make your bits tingle, I don’t wanna talk to you no more.

Can’t Go, Might Go, Won’t Go

Entertainment, Health, Nannies

Via Insty:

Dallas International Guitar Festival (DIGF) is back at Dallas Market Hall April 30-May 2. The world’s largest and oldest guitar show is excited to emerge from their cocoon after a year-long quarantine caused by the pandemic.

Fantastic.  I wasn’t going to be able to go because I would have been at Boomershoot;  but subsequent events made it possible for me to go this year.

However.

Dallas Market Hall will still have a mask mandate in place during the event. Masks, along with social distancing, will be a requirement.

Fuck you.  I’ve been vaccinated, I’m sick of people telling me to do stupid shit when it’s all unwarranted, and I refuse to wear a face condom anymore, anywhere.  Maybe next year, then.  Or not.

As for this:

“[All this nonsense] will help on-site attendees and exhibitors feel more safe and comfortable attending the Dallas International Guitar Festival this year.”

And fuck their paranoia and need for a security blanket, too.

Earworms

Music

You know those snatches of songs that get stuck in your brain and you can’t stop singing them under your breath, or hearing them for hours on end?  That’s  what they’re called, and needless to say, some killjoy doctor has a remedy for them.

I actually enjoy mine, because the ones that could irritate me (e.g. anything by Lady Gaga or Taylor Swift) won’t be recalled for the simple reason that I haven’t heard them — I don’t listen to any modern music.

This morning’s earworm, for instance, was Burning Rope  by Genesis — specifically, the lead solo just after the 4-minute mark.

I’ll post more of them — mostly, they put in an appearance in the mornings during my wake-up time — and while a lot of them will be quality, there will be times when it’s all Yes We Have No Bananas.

You have been warned.

News Roundup

Bad News

…with only occasional links, but always commentary.


…such as hard work, honesty and education that doesn’t include pickpocketing lessons.


…fuck off, Food Scolds.


…except that the first is reality, the second, fantasy — you Royal twerp.


…because that “Find the cracker guilty or we’ll burn the city down” policy seems to be working pretty well.


…stop, stop, my sides are hurting…


…it’s so cute that the writer thinks that “common sense” and “government policy” can coexist.


…result:

And on the topic of vaccines:

 
…and:


…which should come as a surprise to absolutely… nobody.

And on a related topic, all in a single week:


…because, as any fule kno, China is asshoe.

Time for some INSIGNIFICA:

     

And finally:


…and as a child of the Sixties , all I can say is:  “Welcome back, girls!”

…I have missed you all SO much.

Okay, vote for your favorite 3 pics, ranked 1-3, in Comments.   They’re numbered from left to right, top to bottom, eg:

#2:

#6:

Have at it.