So what ever happened to the "free piston" engine as described in the September 1950 issue of Popular Mechanics?
Those old Popular Mechanics were amazing magazine. There were so many things to build and so many amazing inventions. Science was still capable of saving the future, the government was not out to get you, and we were going to win the cold war.
Not to get off the subject of piston-less engine trucks and spending 34 hrs in a B-36 but frankly I disagree with the clever people's understanding of the 1950's as the dark ages.
Civil rights issues were being resolved, while there were bad things happening things were moving forward-the whole thing had not been hi-jacked by the victimization crowd, people were making money, we actually had a good educational system, rap had not been invented, Television was still really hard to watch, cars were much cooler.
On the other hand tractors did not have air conditioning and people had lots of flat tires while driving so perhaps it really was the dark ages. I have no idea. I'm just rambling.
Anyway check out the cool magazines that Google Books has scanned.
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"On the other hand tractors did not have air conditioning and people had lots of flat tires while driving so perhaps it really was the dark ages."
ReplyDeletefamilies actually spent time together in those times too. they all ate dinner at same time and it was home cooking. Sunday meals were special.
the air conditioner was the fan above ya out on the porch or the shade of the old oak tree. or if lucky you had a favorite swimming hole to go to.
you didn't need to call AAA when a tire went flat. you got out and changed it yourself. even had the skills to do your own tuneups on the ol' buggy.
it was a time when kids were young the parents were responsible for them and when they grew up they accepted responsibility for their aging parents.
doctors made house calls and people actually took responsibility for their own lives, good or bad times. when you needed help your neighbor was there for you.
now granted, the rich and the poor were still among us but the poor did not envy the rich and the rich did not pity the poor.
so i'm in agreement with you my friend in regards to that era. it was a better time when you look at the whole picture.
Wow, them wuz the good ol' days!
ReplyDeleteBudde, it may or may not surprise you to know that I have a box full of fifties Popular Mechanics magazines that I picked up for a song at a farm auction years ago. And your're right, they are really fun to read. The fifties were a pretty good time to live although I was too young to appreciate it. It was a time of seemingly boundless hopes and dreams. And its on my "bucket list" to some day own (and drive) a two toned and tail finned fifties car.
ReplyDeleteGriper it was harder work but I remember the old folks as being able to do anything and it seems as though there were more things of quality.
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary. I know of some real family problems in the neighborhood that came out of "old" days. So, I suppose people have always been screwed up. I'm not sure there was always the support system we imagine. Probably we are just looking back at the good things and forgetting the bad.
Gorges, the good old days if you subscribed to Popular Mechanics and wanted to build a bandsaw in your garage!
Ralph, I have a few myself... I once found a old box of Farm Journals and Country Gentleman in a used bookstore in Portland. I am amazed at the optimism. The editors of Popular Mechanics assumed that you could build anything in your garage. I just read an article on electroplating. I don't think you can even buy the ingredients anymore without getting a visit from an FBI agent who wants you to blow up a great public building!
if we can look back and only rememner the good things then that only means that we had more good things happen to us than bad things.
ReplyDeleteit doesn't mean that no bad times existed at that time. that would only occur in a perfect world.
and yes they worked hard when you compare it to today but compared to their parent's time they had it easy.