Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
To: lml
Date: Wed, 25 Sep 2002 13:53:15 -0400
Message-ID: <redirect-1790807@logan.com>
From: Brent Regan <Brent@regandesigns.com>
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Subject: Re: I have a Zehrbach engine in my 4p
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Come on now Joe, you have to tell the rest of the story:

<< A long time ago there was this small village by a large lake. In this
village lived a man who was different from most of the other villages and
so he was hated by them. After many years he decided the wanted to do
something to gain some respect so he invited the other villager to
the lake. While all were watching he walked down the lake shore, stepped on
the water and preceded to walk across the surface of the lake and
onto the shore on the other side. Everyone was silent and then a man
pointed him in disbelief and said,
"look at this guy he can't even swim".>>


"The next day a stranger came to the village. He gathered the people in 
the square and began to tell them about his magic wings that would allow 
a man to fly without effort. The wise men of the village said this was 
impossible as even birds must flap their wings and eat worms to be able 
to fly. The stranger insisted that he could do what no other could. The 
villagers became angry and banished the stranger. The hated man took 
pity on the stranger and invited him into his hut. That night the 
stranger convinced the hated man to trade 50,000 gold coins for a pair a 
magic wings. When the hated man opened his cash box to pay the stranger 
the stranger said "Did I say 50,000 a pair? I meant each."

After the stranger was paid he disappeared for many seasons. The hated 
man waited and waited, unwilling to consider he had been deceived. One 
day there was a joyous sight, the stranger returned with a pair of wings 
on his ass, er.. donkey. The hated man rushed to inspect his new wings. 
They were beautiful, brightly colored and shone in the sun. "Glorious" 
said the hated man. By this time many of the other villagers had 
gathered and gazed upon the magical wings. "They look a little heavy." 
one said. "Shouldn't there be feathers on both sides?" another asked. 
"Why are there two left wings?" a third asked. "Have they been tested?" 
asked the village idiot. "Be quiet!" yelled the hated man "I will not 
have you spoil my treasure! I will prove you all wrong by flying from 
the top of Mount Caveat!"

Up the mountain they all went until they came to the Cliffs of Daedalus. 
The hated man put on the wings. This took some time as they didn't quite 
fit and one of the straps was missing and some of the feathers were 
falling off but the hated man was determined and soon he stood at the 
precipice, his glory imminent.

Years later the children who were present that day would tell their 
children about how they heard "I'm flying!" echoing across the lake as 
the "man who could walk on water" plummeted to his death and how, when 
they turned to look, the stranger's ass had vanished and the stranger 
was never seen again. Hearing the story, one child asked "Why didn't 
anyone like the hated man?" and the father replied "We didn't always 
hate him but one day he said we did and he kept saying it until we 
believed him."

The moral of the story is, of course.
With faith you can walk on water but it takes good engineering to fly 
and good advice can sometimes come from the village idiot.

Regards
Brent Regan