Sunday, February 02, 2014
Stupid idea, good cartoon
This idea seemed interesting when it popped into my head in the middle of the night. In the cold light of day it's a stupid idea, but it made a good cartoon.
Struck me that the recommended shift points of an older 4-speed car like a VW, or a pickup with grannylow, are close to the shift points of a human life span. Genes and lifestyle tend to create redlines at fairly specific points.
First takes you up to 15. If you've got a deeply serious genetic problem, you're going to redline by 15. If you're totally susceptible to every infection, 15 is all she wrote.
Second takes you up to 25. Less serious innate problems (cystic fibrosis, severe CP) tend to wear the organism out by 25.
Third reaches 45. If you're unusually susceptible to cancer, or you live hard (lots of alcohol, tobacco, sex, drugs) you're done at 45. This one is probably the most precise.
Fourth reaches 62 on an old VW. If you've done everything necessary to build a heart attack, this is your redline.
If you make it past 62, you're cruising. On the old VW, you didn't get there with engine power; you're in neutral going downhill with a tailwind. In other words, you're powered by blessings and luck.
¶ 11:43 AM 
This idea seemed interesting when it popped into my head in the middle of the night. In the cold light of day it's a stupid idea, but it made a good cartoon.
Struck me that the recommended shift points of an older 4-speed car like a VW, or a pickup with grannylow, are close to the shift points of a human life span. Genes and lifestyle tend to create redlines at fairly specific points.
First takes you up to 15. If you've got a deeply serious genetic problem, you're going to redline by 15. If you're totally susceptible to every infection, 15 is all she wrote.
Second takes you up to 25. Less serious innate problems (cystic fibrosis, severe CP) tend to wear the organism out by 25.
Third reaches 45. If you're unusually susceptible to cancer, or you live hard (lots of alcohol, tobacco, sex, drugs) you're done at 45. This one is probably the most precise.
Fourth reaches 62 on an old VW. If you've done everything necessary to build a heart attack, this is your redline.
If you make it past 62, you're cruising. On the old VW, you didn't get there with engine power; you're in neutral going downhill with a tailwind. In other words, you're powered by blessings and luck.
¶ 11:43 AM
