By Alan B. Combs

As many of you may remember, we visited New Orleans last week just before the hurricane. While we were there, we indulged our interest in history at that wonderfully fated city. the port leading to the vast territories of the Louisiana Purchase. We learned that Thomas Jefferson was behind the movement to explore this territory, but the true story of how it happened is not told in the histories, and the actual explorers did not get any credit for their efforts.

Now, you must know that the Man of Steel has great longevity that expectably accompanies his other super powers. The tale of falling in a rocket to Smallville is a modern fabrication. The Kents go back much farther than that. In fact, it was in 1803 that Thomas Jefferson sent the young Kent on the journey that started in St. Louis, that ended in Oregon Territory, and which opened the American West. History buffs are in the process of celebrating the Bicentennial of this event.

Being possessed of more than ample abilities and powers, Kent took only one other person with him, his long- standing, long-suffering girl friend. Thus, though they did not get credit for it, their journey should have been called the Lois and Clark Expedition.