[Fot] Fwd: Swan Song...

[BillDentin at aol.com]

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From: BillDentin at aol.com
Full-name: BillDentin
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Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:25:02 EDT
Subject: Re: [Fot] Swan Song...
To: n197tr4 at cs.com
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In a message dated 07/18/2011 10:22:02 AM Central Daylight Time, 
n197tr4 at cs.com writes:


> ya!  say it aint so!    
> like the end of an era
>  relieved to read that SWAN SONG was not equivalent to TOTALED.
> 
Thank everyone for the warm comments.  

More than a few expressed concern over my choice of 'Swan Song'.  It sent 
me back to the dictionary to double check.

There it says something like:  "Swan song" is a metaphorical phrase for a 
final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement. 
The phrase refers to an ancient belief that the Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) is 
completely silent during its lifetime until the moment just before death, 
when it sings one beautiful song. The belief, now known to be incorrect, had 
become proverbial in Ancient Greece by the 3rd century BC, and was reiterated 
many times in later Western poetry and art.  Using it this morning...was 
just our turn.

While our Thunder Bolt was not mute, neither Bob nor I drove it anywhere 
near as fast as it would go.  For one thing, it used to scare us.  Its 
aerodynamic shape causes the front end to get VERY light at the end of long 
straights.  We added a chin spoiler, which helped a little, but we still had the 
sensation of power steering at the end of straights...power steering that 
didn't seem to turn the wheels.  Mute, or not, she sang a pretty swan song this 
past week end.

Thanks again for all of the warm comments.

Bill Dentinger