The Great Epiphany ...

... would, of course, be this quote by legendary art dealer Ernst Beyeler:

“If I can’t sell something, I just double the price.”

This is a man after my own heart. Thus, I've just increased the price of Big Lloyd 3 (The Root) ...



... a classic, in my humble opinion, from $145,000 to $290,000.

Don't you wish you had bought it last week? Life is short, dear friends. Which is certainly reason enough to reflect on the recent passing of Peter Gethin.

Have you ever raced at Monza? Not so many of us have, but Peter Gethin did. And in 1971 he pulled off one of the greatest passes in the history of Formula 1, if for no other reason than it happened in the last turn of the last lap. It's also worth noting that the top five guys in this particular race finished in a clump, separated by a little over half a second. As you watch the video, disregard the first guy coming down the straight--although he appears to be ahead, he's really way behind.

And isn't life like that in so many ways?
Yes it is.

Keep your eye on the guy in the white car--he takes the inside track into the turn.



The curve is called Parabolica. As noted, it's the last turn at Monza. And Monza, the traditional site of the Italian Grand Prix, is one of history's seriously fast tracks, in no small part because of the turn. You see, dear reader, Parabolica lies at the end of a medium-length straight. As you enter it, you brake hard for what starts out as a tight right-hander. Once you are into it, though, it keeps unwinding (the radius of the turn gets longer in the manner of a parabola), allowing you to go faster and faster while still turning. By the time you get to the main straight you are going at quite a clip, just on the edge of adhesion.

And isn't life like that in so many ways?
Yes it is.

Anyway, this was the zenith of Gethin's career. Although he did live to a ripe old age.