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: March, 2016

DOUGLAS AD SKYRAIDER—TOO GOOD TO RETIRE

THERE ARE SOME aircraft so good that they defy retirement. Boeing’s B-52 Stratofortress and 747 wide-body airliner come to mind, these continuing in service since 1955 and 1969, respectively. Another … Continue reading

March 17, 2016 · 5 Comments

PACIFIC COAST TOURING

“AUTOMOBILE TOURING on the Pacific Coast is altogether a different matter from that of tooling about the East.” This claim comes from Charles Fuller Gates, a travel, bicycle and motoring … Continue reading

March 16, 2016 · Leave a comment

CHAOTIC PENDULUMS

A SIMPLE PENDULUM’s measured behavior is a marvelous thing. A clock with one doesn’t need batteries. It doesn’t need a plug. There’s no solar panel or other wizardry. All pendulums, … Continue reading

March 15, 2016 · 2 Comments

THE WEBB—AN AMAZING SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVOR

TWO AND A HALF years from now, the James Webb Telescope will surge into space to replace the current best eye in the sky, the Hubble Telescope. The Hubble has … Continue reading

March 13, 2016 · 1 Comment

PRISON FOOD

WELL, DOES the Casa di Reclusione Milano Bollate sound like a setting for an Italian restaurant? Then again, it is Milan’s Bollate Prison, a medium-security slammer. No matter, because InGalera, … Continue reading

March 12, 2016 · Leave a comment

THE FLYING MONTEES

IT WAS A FABULOUS time for aviation, the 1920s. Airplanes had proved their mettle in World War I. Plenty of these craft were now surplus, offering inexpensive means for the … Continue reading

March 10, 2016 · 8 Comments

TOURING EUROPE

MANY OF YOU might be planning motoring excursions in Europe. Indeed, I realize that some of you already live there and don’t really need the following advice. However, maybe even … Continue reading

March 9, 2016 · 2 Comments

HARRY S TRUMAN—SHERLOCKIAN

THE 33RD PRESIDENT of the United States, Harry S Truman, was a dedicated follower of Sherlock Holmes. In fact, the Baker Street Journal, an “irregular quarterly” published by the Baker … Continue reading

March 8, 2016 · 1 Comment

A “GOOD OLD DAYS” FERRARI ROAD TEST

AH, THE GOOD OLD DAYS! Fifty years ago a Ferrari 275 GTS could be bought for half the price of today’s average new car. In a September 1966 Road Test, … Continue reading

March 7, 2016 · 6 Comments

THE LONDON UNDERGROUND—REDEFINED

THE TERM London Underground used to mean only this city’s subterranean transportation system. But cost of development has prompted some super wealthy Londoners to enhance their residences downward. In Hyde … Continue reading

March 6, 2016 · Leave a comment