POPE LEO XIV AND A.I.
HAVE YOU READ POPE LEO’S MAGNIFICA HUMANITAS? Or, instead of this exercise in Latin, its English Magnificent Humanity, all 42,300 words of it? No? Me neither. Some might be tempted … Continue reading
SALVAGING (AND SATIRIZING) THE FLOTUS PART 2
YESTERDAY WE BEGAN GLEANING TIDBITS from Thomas Mallon’s review in The New Yorker of Lois Romano’s book An Inconvenient Widow: The Torment, Trial, and Triumph of Mary Todd Lincoln. Part … Continue reading
SALVAGING (AND SATIRIZING) THE FLOTUS PART 1
THOMAS MALLON WRITES “A WOMAN SCORNED: Mary Todd Lincoln has long been derided. Is her reputation salvagable?,” The New Yorker, May 25, 2026; this, in his review of Lois Romano’s … Continue reading
THOUGHTS ON MEMORIAL DAY 2026
ON THIS RECENT MEMORIAL DAY, I celebrated Norman Corwin, lamented the demise of CBS, and ridiculed/pitied Trump. Here are tidbits gleaned from all these. NORMAN CORWIN’S FINE CONTRIBUTIONS. Known as … Continue reading
INVENTIONS THAT TRANSFORMED THE WORLD PART 2
THIS ALL STARTED WITH History Extra Magazine’s “What Was the Greatest Invention in History? 9 Experts Share Their Opinions.” Tidbits were gleaned from two of them in Part 1. Today, … Continue reading
INVENTIONS THAT TRANSFORMED THE WORLD PART 1
HISTORY EXTRA MAGAZINE POSITS “WHAT WAS THE GREATEST INVENTION IN HISTORY? 9 EXPERTS SHARE THEIR OPINIONS.” I love articles such as this, if for no other reason than to see … Continue reading
GRESLEY A3 PACIFIC—HANDLES LIKE IT’S ON RAILS
“IN AN AGE OF COMPACTS, ECONOMY CARS, MINI CARS AND OTHER TRIVIA,” R&T Contributing Editor Tony Hogg observed, “it is a great relief for us when occasionally we are able … Continue reading
THE AVIATOR REVISITED, RECALLED, WITH MATHEMATICAL WHIMSY PART 2
YESTERDAY, A RECENT REVIEWING OF The Aviator included my own encounters with Howard Hughes’ aircraft. We continue here in Part 2 with a Hercules H-4 fantasy, a “Guy and Doll” … Continue reading
THE AVIATOR—REVISITED, RECALLED, WITH MATHEMATICAL WHIMSY PART 1
IT TURNS OUT HOWARD HUGHES IS A FAMILIAR FIGURE here at SimanaitisSays and, surely, I’ve seen The Aviator, 2004, at least once before its recent showing on Turner Classic Movies. … Continue reading
THE MOBSTER’S NEW SCHEMES
WERE THIS A 1930S MOBSTER FLICK, it would be absurd but entertaining. But, instead, it’s the warped reality of Trump the Don, his consigliere Todd Blanche, and others of his … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 