RE: American Attitudes

[Charlie Bell]

> 
> On the other hand, to make the bird metaphor the measure of success lets
> out, in my opinion, any airplane that needs a runway to get going.  Birds
> don't need runways any more than they need catapults.

Except swans.... you ever seen one attempting to get airborne?

> But if the critereon of success is that the machine be able to *fly* like
> a bird--as opposed to "take off like a bird"--then the Wright Brothers
> succeed admirably.
> Except for the bit about flapping the wings, of course.

<grin>