Things younger than Republican Presidential candidate (oh, and did I forget to mention war hero?) John McCain

The LP Record is younger than John McCain.

I don’t know if this is true or not but, according to trivia-library.com, the inventor of the LP (an employee of Columbia Records who came up with the LP in 1948 as a way to overcome the interruptions to music made necessary by the constant need to turn over, then change, 78 rpm records) received no royalties for his invention. Instead, he received free copies of every LP produced by Columbia.

As an aside, this could potentially become a whole new offshoot of the site – wildly popular inventions that came and went during McCain’s lifetime… suggestions anyone?

Buy the book: "72 Things Younger Than John McCain"

The Lubricated Condom is younger than John McCain.

While there are drawings of condoms and of condoms in use that date back some 3,000 years, the oldest condoms ever found were from 1640 (gross). They were made of animal intestines and are believed to have been used to prevent the transmission of STD’s.

Wow – talk about a mood killer:

“Pardon me, dearest Gwendyllen – whilst I would very much fancy having carnal relations with thou, I must first endeavour to kill and disembowel yon wild boar. Just stay in that position and I shall return in a fortnight.”

HOT, HOT AND HOT!

Fast forward about 300 years (and a number of years after John McCain was born) and the world was treated to a major advance in condom technology: lubrication.

Buy the book: "72 Things Younger Than John McCain"

Automatic transmission is younger than John McCain.

Introduced for the 1940 model year, The “Hydra-matic” was the first fully automatic transmission developed for passenger cars.

I love how – in the old, old, old days – they were able to dress everything up and make it sound futuristic by adding “amatic” to the name. I also love the ever-so-subtle sexism in the above ad… because, clearly, only the women-folk driving their husbands’ cars to and from the market are the ones who would benefit from this new technology.

Aaahh – good times. Good, old, freakishly-antiquated times.

(Thanks to Michael and Bob for the tip!)

Buy the book: "72 Things Younger Than John McCain"

The Margarita is younger than John McCain.

Matt G. from the UK just wrote in with this great suggestion off of my earlier treatise on the Nacho – thanks Matt!

The origin of the Margarita is a subject of heated debate (well, at least among the five or six people who lay claim to its invention) but my favorite has to be that it was created by Enrique Bastate Gutierrez in the early 1940′s as an homage to Rita Hayworth, whose real name was Margarita Cansino (“Cansino” being Spanish for “drink until you can’t feel anything from the waist down”).

Buy the book: "72 Things Younger Than John McCain"

Duct tape is younger than John McCain.

I was happy to see on Wikipedia – the internet’s #1 source of partially-correct information – that duct tape is also known as “duck tape”… which is what I always thought it was called (or, at least, should be called).
Duct tape, duck tape, tomato, tomahto… it seems to me that this household staple has been around forever – and it has. It’s just that John McCain has been around forever-er.
(Thanks to Andy for the tip!)

Buy the book: "72 Things Younger Than John McCain"

The Shopping Cart is younger than John McCain.
This seems like something cavemen should have invented (God, I hate those stupid Geico commercials) – I mean, it’s wheels and a bucket. It couldn’t be simpler. So simple, in fact, that one would think that it not only pre-dates John McCain but that it would pre-date his parents and grandparents as well.
One would be wrong.
(Credits to follow soon…)

Buy the book: "72 Things Younger Than John McCain"

Nylon is younger than John McCain.

I don’t know why but Nylon was probably the single most popular suggestion that I received since this site went live on Monday (and I received a ton – so thanks to all who sent them in. Keep ‘em coming!).
Nylon was first used commercially in a nylon-bristled toothbrush in 1938 – which makes me wonder what Ma and Pa McCain were using until then to brush little Johnny’s first teeth. It then grew in popularity as something that soldiers could give their wives to keep them off the trail of their girlfriends (and vice versa).
One final bit of nylon trivia? The first three letters of the word are completely arbitrary.

Buy the book: "72 Things Younger Than John McCain"

Velcro is younger than John McCain.

As chance would have it, today is the 50th anniversary of the invention of Velcro. Happy Birthday, Velcro – and good job keeping John McCain’s shoes closed. (You see, because he’s old and may have trouble with laces. Get it? Get it?)
(Thanks to Noa, Kris, Robert, Dana, Kim, Donna, Luke, and about two dozen other people for the tip!)

Buy the book: "72 Things Younger Than John McCain"

Defibrillation (on people) is younger than John McCain.

While defibrillation had been used on animals since 1899, the first use of it on an actual person was when John McCain was in (roughly) the sixth grade.
The above photo is an artist rendering of what I might look like if this old nut becomes President.
(Thanks Chreatha!)

Buy the book: "72 Things Younger Than John McCain"

The Polio Vaccine is younger than John McCain.

Buy the book: "72 Things Younger Than John McCain"

The ballpoint pen is younger than John McCain.

Buy the book: "72 Things Younger Than John McCain"

FM radio is younger than John McCain.

Buy the book: "72 Things Younger Than John McCain"