Muscle car plus motor head does not equal muscle head, although it could. The first pair evokes positive images for those who remember Holley carburetors, dual exhausts, Hurst shifters and four on the floor (gears, that is). The muscle cars of the 60’s were exciting to drive and fun to work on. That was an era when there was enough room in the engine compartment to swing a socket wrench.

We’ve all seen pitchmen, the medium-pressure peddlers who unashamedly try to lure us to their side of the street with great deals on auto insurance or oxygenated household cleaners. Forceful voices and rapid chatter are attention grabbers. But it needn’t be fast talk and loud volume that get our attention.

Can there be too much of a good thing? Drinking too much water can dilute the electrolytes in the body and short circuit the wiring. It’s called water intoxication, and can lead to death. Though eating too much candy might not cause a person to die, the resultant stomach distress might bring on the wish to expire early.

When life gets comfortable, humans have a tendency to take things for granted. “Ooh, yeah, I travel this route every day, so I know that light will change in about three more seconds. Oops! Not that time.” “There’s hardly any traffic on my street, so I don’t have to look both ways before crossing.” Mostly. “That agency would never allow this stuff in our food.” Maybe.