Posted on 07/25/2012 6:26:55 PM PDT by lyby
"While President Obama recently said, “If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.” Well, air conditioning just turned 110 years old this year. Imagine even a day without it here in sweltering Alabama."
...
"Carrier continued to improve the cooling process over time, and in 1915, he and six other engineers formed the Carrier Engineering Corporation with starting capital of $32,600. Today Carrier is a $12.5 billion company, employing 43,000 employees and serves customers in 170 countries."
...
"That’s what great entrepreneurs do: Make people’s lives better. And most of the time they receive little or no credit."
(Excerpt) Read more at 2.oanow.com ...
When we lived in D.C. back in the 60s, we drove in to visit the many historical attractions. Except for the Sunday evening concerts by the splendid Marine Corps band on the barge on the Potomac at the Watergate — when it had cooled down a bit — we NEVER went in during the Summer months due to the stifling heat and humidity.
I think the Founders were on to something when they cited the place in a low-lying, mosquito infested swamp. I like to think that they KNEW the place was uninhabitable for those 4 months when either the bugs, the temperature and the humidity competed for the highest numbers or in Spring and Winter when the rain and snow turned the place into an impassable bog. That left just the 3 or so months of for humans to go there and do the PURELY ESSENTIAL and, then, LIMITED business of government.
While driving along the Mall with some visiting friends, it finally hit me: AIR CONDITIONING, PAVEMENT and CENTRAL HEATING! If Mr. Carrier and those other loudmouth inventors had just shut the hell up, we either wouldn’t be in this mess or we’d have another 100 years to kick the can down the road.
“Progress” isn’t always progress.
Did this post provide enough information so as not “to annoy you”? :-)
blasphemy!
Many,many Americans have never lived with out it. I remember summers meant open windows and road dust settling on everything. Winter meant wood or coal smoke covering everything.
In summer, mom was up early to cook before the daytime heat set in. In winter, somebody was up early to start a fire.
Unpaved roads are only fit for a horse and wagon.
Its a good thing Carrier got things set up before big government got its hooks into everything.
The Gen. Lee never ran into a patch of loose gravel. However, those Duke boys we smart enough to avoid that.
Well done !
My Grandfather worked for Willis Carrier during The Depression, in Syracuse. He told a few stories about that era, don’t recall any that involved the government building the business. Too bad Mr. Carrier allowed his product to be sold in The District of Columbia.
I agree with the original but as an engineer, it's better this way.
When I read the headline (french), I thought it was saying the wine and cheese eaters across the pond were standing up to Obama....no such luck.
Looks like the Ventura hills. Pretty gutsy move, though. Must have reinforced a weld or two.
Looks like the Ventura hills. Pretty gutsy move, though. Must have reinforced a weld or two.
Great excerpt! Well done!
“I think the Founders were on to something when they cited the place in a low-lying, mosquito infested swamp....”
Bingo!! I’ve held that for years. DC remained a sleepy, Southern town until the mid-late 60’s...when like all other Southern cities, it woke up due to Willis Carrier’s work in FLa on cheap AC!!!
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