Issue #904
Including:
From Russ
The Ontarion

Hi All,

The anatomy of a pot hole, at least from my perspective….

Ever noticed when driving down a dirt road or across a gravel parking lot that is riddled with pot holes that the ‘other side’ of the road always looks less bumpy or less uninviting? And you end up driving along on the wrong side to avoid the holes on your side? Well, guess what? You are actually right, the pot holes on the correct driving side of the road are in fact worse than on the other side, from a driving direction point of view. Seems silly if you think about it too much but it proves to be true every time, that ‘other’ side of the road does look and feel less bumpy. Because it is, directionally speaking.

Here’s why. Pot holes are formed when a section of the road surface becomes soft due to water or the materials used. Once a soft spot starts to wear down due to impacts from the vehicle wheels, they start to grow, deeper and wider. But they don’t grow evenly. The direction of impact isn’t straight down, its on an angle in the direction of movement. This vector causes the hole to grow on an angle, in the direction of movement. As it grows, it gets deeper on that angle so the result is that as the wheel enters the pot hole, it enters on a slight ramp that gets deeper toward the exit end of the hole. The wheel slams down, on that vector, against the far side, creating a wall. You feel that wall as the a jolt, a bang as the wheel slams against it, all the while causing it to grow more, getting worse. So, when viewed in the direction of travel, you don’t really see the ramp but you do see the hole and the wall at the far end. You see and feel a patch of ugly pot holes ready to jar your teeth loose. On the other hand, when you look across at the on-coming lane, you don’t see the wall but you do see the ramp, making the pot holes look less bad, more mild and forgiving. And, when you then move over and drive on the ‘other’ side of the road, instead of your wheels hitting the wall that forms as the hole deepens, they simply drop over the wall and roll up the ramp, reducing the impact and the jolt.

This is of course my own speculation, not based on scientific research or study but based only on observation. I think I’m right, but I could be wrong. I’ve was wrong once before but it then turned out I was wrong about being wrong so there you go. Now, there is no moral to this story, or at least none intended, but I guess you could apply that old saying “if live gives you lemons, make lemon aid” only change it to “if life gives you pot holes, drive on the other side of the road”.

doug

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From Russ

Then & Now - a comparison:

Last week I wrote the actual event of the theft of a brand new revolver from Lovett’s Sporting Goods store by a 15 year old KCI student. Today I’m going to attempt to make the comparison between then (1954) and now (2019) as it pertains to the actions of police and others.

Officer- In-Charge immediately makes two orders:

“KCI – lockdown” and “SWAT Team respond - cover all entrances and exits - prohibited weapon – 38 Cal. revolver concealed in student’s locker!”.

Special Weapons Attack Team arrive in a heart-beat. From four Bren-gun carriers jump twelve officers in full riot gear – AK47’s and tear-gas shot-guns locked and loaded! As fast as they can run in full riot gear (which is not all that fast), they ‘cover’ all entrances/exits.

Just to be safe, the “Bomb-Squad” sends in the Robot, while three bomb-sniffing dogs are held ‘at bay’. After the Second Floor is searched (the floor on which the suspect has concealed the weapon in his locker), the students from that floor, are ordered to,

“Come out with your hands up! Walk in single file to your nearest Fire Exit. Outside, run to uniformed police who are there to receive and protect you. DO NOT LEAVE THE PROTECTION OF POLICE!.

Once all students and staff have left the 2nd floor, and police have arrested the suspect, searched, hand-cuffed, and ‘dumped’ him into a cruiser, police order all remaining students and staff to exit in the same manor as previously ordered.

Now, the Detectives (wearing their ‘bullet-proof vests’, gloves and safety glasses) cut the lock, slowly and carefully open the locker door, allowing the very anxious bomb-sniffing dog to ‘do his thing’. Finally, they locate the weapon, lift it out with a pencil into the trigger-guard (so as not to interfere with finger-prints), and place it into the clear plastic evidence bags you’ve all seen on TV.

The suspect’s ‘prints’ are sent to other police jurisdictions, as well as to the FBI, for possible connection to crimes committed in the last 48 hours.

Meanwhile, ‘search warrants and arrest warrants’ are executed at the home of the suspect. (why arrest the parents you ask? The FBI, noting the surname “Vogt” being associated with “Mass Shootings” and/or threats to Public Safety in the US, want to interrogate same).

After all the paid police presence, use of Bren- gun carriers, etc., and all the hours of police report-writing (estimated cost $101,000), they want the kid tried as an adult, thereby seeking a harsher penalty upon conviction.

After a “Hearing” to determine if he should be tried as an adult, it was ordered he be tried as a “Young Offender”. (Cost of Hearing” $30,000).

Because his parents are still under arrest, the suspect, Tommy Vogt, was held in the facility in Goderich for Young Offenders awaiting Trial.

Another cost to the taxpayer. By the time the entire case and dispensation is complete,

this “minor theft” will likely cost you and I well over $200,000.00.

I ask you – what is this World coming to?

Disclaimer: the NOW portion of this event is purely within the imagination of the writer, and is not meant to be ‘accurate’ or to relate to an ‘actual’ occurrence.

R.G.Brubacher Sgt. Ret.

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THE ONTARION REPORT

Hello everyone!

Before I get into this week’s Ontarion I’d like to wish Lorne success in his hospital endeavor! Carole and I have you in our thoughts and prayers Lorne! Be Strong as usual!

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I’m sitting here at my computer listening to country music and trying to think of what to write about again this week. I’ll give it a few minutes and suddenly it’ll come to me like a bolt out of the blue as they say. In fact that very saying brings to mind thoughts of colourful cars. That then brings to mind my last weekend’s adventure. Adam and I spent the day on Sunday in Oakville at the Bronte Park. The park hosted the annual British Car Show I mentioned last week that the Toronto Triumph Club puts one each September. This year’s event was once again a big success. The only drawback was that the weather wasn’t as nice as it has been other years. When we started the day at 8:00 am the sky looked quite clear with just a few clouds showing on the horizon. This was in our minds since I had the roof of the MG down and still neatly stowed away. We weren’t sure if we should put it up in case it might rain or just leave it down at that point. We decided to take a chance on leaving it in the down position at least until we arrived at the park in Oakville. The weather report said it might be a little rainy at times throughout the day but with that sort of start to the day it was worth the chance! We decided to drive over to Ira Needles Blvd and find a place to enjoy a breakfast to start the day off! Adam wanted to stop at the bank near the restaurant to pick up a little cash. So, we did that first and just as we pulled into the bank parking lot there was a sprinkle of rain that came down (Have you ever seen it go up?) LOL! We decided to stop at that point and put the roof up on the MG. Once it was in the up position we figured it would stay up even as we put it on display at the show for the day. From the bank, we went to a restaurant called The Sunrise Grill where they advertise their wonderful “All Day Breakfast”. We parked out in front of the Grill and were inside long enough to order our breakfast and lo and behold didn’t the sun come out nice and bright! We looked at each other and in unison said; “It figures doesn’t it?” Oh well, at least if it rained during the drive to Oakville or at the show the car would be dry inside. Anybody that wished to have a look at the interior of the MG would just have to open the door or look through the window! We arrived at the park at about 10:30am and parked the MG in a row of about 30 other MGB’s and also across from another row of 30 or so more of the same model MGs. It’s no wonder it’s one of the most difficult categories in the show to win any prize in at the end of the day. Each entrant receives a registration bag with a program in it and also a ballot listing the different categories of vehicles in the show. The entrant of whom I was one gets to vote for their choice of the best looking vehicle in each category. Adam and I walked the many rows of vehicles at the show for several hours. As we looked at each class of vehicle I marked my ballot to vote for my favourite one. The voting ended at 1:00 pm and then your ballot had to be placed in a ballot box at the registration booth. The judging was completed by 2:00 pm and the awards to the winning vehicles in each category were announced at 3:00 pm. We decided to wait and watch the awards ceremony just on the off chance our MGB was picked as either the first, second or third place prize winner in it’s category. After standing for more than an hour, the MGs were finally announced. Although I voted for our MGB I guess not many other people did the same, as the three winners were names I’d never even heard of before. Oh well, with so many other entrants, after a while they all start to look the same and if the owner had more friends at the show that could vote for their car, then they were one of the three winners! I wasn’t too disappointed that our MG didn’t win a prize since the prizes were just a certificate and a bottle of car wax in most cases. I can easily go home and print my own certificate and buy a bottle of car wax at CTC anyway! LOL! I’m sure I’ll give it a try again next year on September 20th at the next show. It’s always an enjoyable time at the show and I’ll enter the MG once again! The show was interesting even though it did rain off and on throughout the day. Luckily I had put a pair of good-sized umbrellas in the trunk of the car just in case the weather girl was right about the rain, and for a change, she was accurate in her forecast! Each time it rained, it only lasted about 20 minutes and then the sun would come out again. The whole event was over with by shortly after 4pm and then we headed for Kitchener. We stopped on the way home for a quick bight to eat since we hadn’t bothered to buy anything from the venders at the show. I say just a quick bight because we knew that Carole would have supper ready for us when we got home. The drive home was like the rest of the day with spotty rain on the way. The little wipers on the MG actually worked quite well in the rain. I had only been caught in the rain once or twice before while out for a drive in all the years we’ve had the car so each time I need them to work, I’m not sure that they will! LOL! Thankfully they worked this time!

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One other thing on my mind tonight is the discovery of our Prime Minister wearing black or as he said “brown face” on several occasions in his past. He was quick indeed to call a news conference in our Jet aircraft to apologize for performing what was called a “racist” act! Of course back in early 2001 when he dressed up like Aladdin and painted his face black or dark brown, he said he didn’t give any thought as to whether or not such an act was considered racist. He apologized for his indiscretion as he called it. He was then asked if he’d ever done anything else of that nature. He stammered a little and then said, “Yes, back when I was in high school I performed the song “Day O” and wore makeup!” He then stated that he sincerely apologized for doing that as well and said he was “pissed off” at himself for doing such a thing. He didn’t mention ever doing anything else of that nature in his past. However, first thing this morning, the news was broadcast all over Canada that there was a third incident in the form of a video of Mr. Trudeau once again in black face dancing with friends. I guess that one slipped his mind! Oh well, we have all been guilty of a racist comment or act at one time or another in our lives. In the 70 years of my life I can remember learning the common name of “Brazil Nuts” that were in our bowl of nuts with the nutcracker at Christmas time. Of course neither our parents nor we kids gave any thought to the term being racist at the time. Of course nowadays such terminology is totally unacceptable! The problem with these pictures of our PM arising now is that he has been continually preaching to anyone who would listen that many other people he knows of are racist and he would never condone such language or acts within his party of from any other Canadian at any time. I guess that makes our PM a hypocrite not only to the Canadian public but also to the members of the other political parties involved in the upcoming election.

Mr. Trudeau, can you say “past Prime Minister?”

That’s about all I have on my mind for this week folks!
Thanks for tuning in and I’ll look forward to talking to you all again next week in The Ontarion Report!

Bye for now … Greg

PS: Something To Think About>
Do you want a racist, hypocritical liar for our next Prime Minister?