Simanaitis Says

On cars, old, new and future; science & technology; vintage airplanes, computer flight simulation of them; Sherlockiana; our English language; travel; and other stuff

Monthly Archives: June, 2014

GUIDE(S) TO PARIS

“PARIS, THE capital of France, may justly be termed the centre of the whole pleasure seeking world…” And for the armchair traveller, there’s nothing better than a stack of Paris … Continue reading

June 29, 2014 · Leave a comment

MAKE BIG AUTO BUCKS WITHOUT SELLING CARS

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES can give rise to curious marketing anomalies. For instance, it’s possible within the auto industry to make big bucks without selling cars. This reminds me of an adage … Continue reading

June 27, 2014 · 1 Comment

PETER HELCK—THE ENTHUSIAST’S ARTIST

MANY ARTISTS have specialized in automobiles, but few with the enthusiasm of Peter Helck. How many other American artists traveled Europe to cover motor racing? How many were commissioned by … Continue reading

June 25, 2014 · 1 Comment

ON BILINGUAL TROLLEY ACCIDENTS

DO OUR morals depend on which language we’re speaking? Can something be ethically acceptable in a second language, but not in our native tongue? Researchers in cognitive sciences say “yes,” … Continue reading

June 24, 2014 · 2 Comments

SCHMID LSR CRACKS 800 KM/H AT BONNEVILLE

VIRTUALLY, THE Land Speed Record car of Leopold F. Schmid has achieved its design goal of 800 km/h, 497 mph or 432 knots. I include this third equivalent unit because … Continue reading

June 23, 2014 · Leave a comment

TRANSPORT MEMORABILIA, 1995 (AND TIMELESS)

I LOVE auction catalogs. They contain a wealth of information. Printed on fine stock, they are typically a bibliophile’s delight. Christie’s catalog for a Transport Memorabilia and Models auction is … Continue reading

June 21, 2014 · Leave a comment

ARE HYBRIDS PASSÉ?

HYBRIDS OFFER fuel economy better than 40 mpg, but apparently only a few buyers care. “Have hybrid cars hit their peak?” asks Automotive News correspondent Mark Rechtin in the June … Continue reading

June 19, 2014 · 1 Comment

A PILOT’S VIEW, EPISODE 2

THE FIRST pilots moved levers forward and aft, wiggled their hips or shoulders this way or that and gripped wheels, only some of which steered. (See http://wp.me/p2ETap-2aF.) Before long, however, controls … Continue reading

June 17, 2014 · Leave a comment

TRADING IN NANOSECONDS

I RECALL that my degree in mathematics came with a pledge to use this knowledge always for Good and never for Evil. Apart from occasionally torturing students with exam tie-breakers, … Continue reading

June 16, 2014 · Leave a comment

UNIVERSAL DESIGN

THE PRINCIPLES of universal design offer utility to people with the widest possible range of abilities, operating within the widest possible range of situations. Note, too, this isn’t just about … Continue reading

June 15, 2014 · 2 Comments