Twofer

[Unka Bart]

G'day all,

The weather here in Nashville is unpleasantly cold (34F/1.11...C), but
it's dry and there's no snow so it's not exactly Quattro weather.  Of
course that's fortunate for me, being Q-less (and yes, prehaps "Cluel-ess"
as well, but I digress) as I am these days...

But I was just sitting here, idly perusing the latest digest, and I see
that Marc Swanson has asked the musical question, the one that's burning on
everyone's lips at the moment naturally; "How does one spell 'Mea Culpa?'"

The answer, unless one wishes to use some language other than the ur-latin,
is without an "o;" assuming, that is, one wishes to spell it correctly.  In
fact, vowel-wise, one should use but one "e" and one "u" and a pair of
"a"s; combined with the usual assortment of consanants, the detailed
specifics of which elude me for the moment...

And now to the issue of those power-crazed Americans.  Bad rap, don'tchyew
know?

We are actually power-deprived, it's you blokes on the other side of the
pond who actually get all the goodies that we poor power-deprived Americans
are forced to salivate over (although recent developments seem to be
leveling the playing field somewhat). RS2s and more recently, 4.2L V8
powered S6s are cases in point, but other examples are legion.

Certainly it is *possible* to go through live with just enough horsepower
to propel you to 70 mph (112.56 kph) (eventually) and maintain that
velocity (absent a headwind) on level ground.  Certainly not enjoyable, but
definitely possible.  Three of the first four cars I owned were 36 bhp
(SAE) VWs (a '57 sedan, a '56 KG coupe and a '59 KG coupe), so I know it is
possible.  I also know it is *not* enjoyable.  And if you ever want to pass
another vehicle, such as one going 5 mph slower than you are, it is not
often *safe,* either...

I have one vehicle with 318 bhp, and it is seriously underpowered.  Of
course, at 27,000 lbs GCVW, it's not hard to see that.  It will run 70 mph
all day, and in the eastern half of the US and A, where not many hills
exceed 6% grades, it will usually maintain that speed, or at least not drop
below 65 mph (104.52 kph) unless the grade is 6% or more.  In which case, I
start salivating about repowering, changing my 8v71NA (diesel) for a more
robust 8v92 TA (turbo-aftercooled) with 450 bhp.

If you think a 36 bhp VW is slow to accellerate, be advised that the term
"accelleration," when speaking of buses, gives one new appreciation of the
meaning of the term "abstract concept."

But I digress.  Like love, sex and freedom; horsepower is (another) one of
those things in life to which the term "excess" simply does not apply.
Truly, if a little bit is good, a lot is better, and way too much is barely
adequate.

yer kindly ol' Unka Bart