WHEN IS A CHICKEN NOT A CHICKEN?
FORD MIGHT have thought U.S. Customs forgot about the “chicken tax”—but, if so, Ford was wrong. I hadn’t thought of the chicken tax in years, but I refreshed my memory … Continue reading
ORSON’S WAR AND WORLD
THIS IS the 75th anniversary of The Mercury Theater on the Air October 30, 1938, broadcast of H.G. Well’s War of the Worlds. A tale oft told, Orson Welles’ radio … Continue reading
HOW (WHY) THE MOON?
OUR MOON is more familiar than any other celestial object, yet there are still plenty of puzzles. For instance, how—and why—did the moon come to be? An article, “Impact Theory … Continue reading
B. BIRA
BIRABONGSE BHANUDEJ Bhanubandh does not fall trippingly on the tongue. Hence, auto racing commentators of the mid-1930s through mid-1950s were likely relieved with his sobriquet of B. Bira on the … Continue reading
FUEL CELLS: YEA OR NAY?
FOR TODAY’S debate on the future of fuel-cell propulsion, we are fortunate to have two eloquent spokesmen—with quite opposite views. Providing a fuel cell update is Satoshi Ogiso, Managing Officer … Continue reading
THE NEW BENJAMINS
THERE’S A new $100 bill entering circulation—not that it matters much to me directly, as even Grants ($50s) make me nervous. Nevertheless, these new Benjamins are accompanied by lots of … Continue reading
TAXABLE HP
HORSEPOWER IS motorized fun—so, governments say, why not tax it? Indeed, the idea of extracting cash from motorists is as old as the automobile. Some of the techniques of doing … Continue reading
SEDUCING SPEED
“PORSCHE BY Design: Seducing Speed” is taking place right now, until January 20, 2014, at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, North Carolina. See http://goo.gl/1oYXkw for a glimpse … Continue reading
TATIN-PAULHAN AÉRO-TORPILLE
IMAGINE ATTENDING the 1911 Paris Salon de l’Aéronautique and coming upon the Tatin-Paulhan Aéro-Torpille! The two names would have been familiar. Louis Paulhan had just returned from a triumphal 7-month … Continue reading
GANGSTER CITROËN
THE CITROËN Traction Avant’s place in automotive history is at least four times deserved. It was the world’s first front-wheel-drive steel unibody car. Its production life, from 1934 through 1955, … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 