I agree with most that Americans have the best, finest tuned and smoothest running automobile engines on the market, but podner, they're outdated, outmoded and it's past time for a change.
Since the first piston combustion-type engine was developed, the only difference has been improvement. The engine is basically the same as it was at the turn of the century. There ought to be some type of gismabob to substitute for the engine.
For that matter the gas kitchen stove is much the same as it was 25 years ago. Look at the maze of electric and telephone lines stretched between poles.
I'm not saying we are backward in progress, just a little pokey.
It might be well to mention that although the school bond issue failed to carry, only 46.6 per cent of the voters were opposed to it. There were 181 more votes cast in favor of the issue than against it. The issue received 53.4 per cent of the votes cast for a record high in past issues . . . but majority does not rule, so the issue failed.
Had President Kennedy received that high a majority, his election would have been labeled a landslide.
Just about the time someone invents some machine or gimmick and tries to make it safe and workable, some one else tries to make it death-defying.
Take parachuting, for instance. Man had been trying for years to fly and when he finally got it figured out, the idea of trying to save the pilot came along and the parachute was the clincher.
Parachutes were used by the thousands during past wars, and the sport of sailing through the air — with the assurance you won't splatter over the ground — has been picked up by daredevils, such as you will see Sunday afternoon at Grundman airport.
Free fall parachuting has a purpose as far as the military is concerned — a fast drop and accuracy on the target. It's a frightful thing when you think of falling through the air at 100 or 150 m.p.h. . . . but to 'chutists, it's a great sport.
The biggest jump most of us make is from the bed to the floor when the alarm screams bloody murder.
See you Sunday. Don't forget to take a Sabin sugar lump.