“DO PUT DOWN THE REVOLVER”
THIS WONDERFUL TITLE appeared in the London Review of Books, August 14, 2016, in a book review written by Rosemary Hill, whose other work in LRB I’ve enjoyed. I’m sure … Continue reading
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SIMANAITISSAYS!
THIS ITEM BEGINS the fifth year of SimanaitisSays. Once more, I thank you for your readership and interactions. Indeed, celebrating this camaraderie, I recall several notable items of the past … Continue reading
A 1953 TIME CAPSULE—BUGATTI LORE AND MORE
ETTORE BUGATTI, Le Patron, died in 1947, the same year that Road and Track published its first issue. In November 1953, the magazine was six years old when it chose to … Continue reading
FRIENDLY BORDERS
LIZ ALDERMAN’S STORY in The New York Times, August 8, 2016, is titled “Put One Foot Wrong in This Town and You’ve Left the Country.” She was writing about Baarle, … Continue reading
AVOCADO UNDER MY SKIN
THE MIND—and sometimes a good pun—is a terrible thing to waste. So is an avocado. We’ve been enjoying avocados of the Hass variety here in southern California. No surprise, as … Continue reading
THE LRB ON BREXIT
THE BREXIT REFERENDUM asked voters in the United Kingdom whether to Remain in or Leave the European Union, and “Leave” gathered more votes. But, as described in essays in the London … Continue reading
THE MATHEMATICAL BRIDGE, CAMBRIDGE
PLACE YOURSELF AT 52.2022 N, 0.1150E (for armchair travellers, Google Maps will help). Good, you’re now on the River Cam in Cambridge, England, 60 miles north of London. I like … Continue reading
AIRBOATS—REAL AND VIRTUAL
ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL did more than patent the first practical telephone in 1876 (not to say later giving actor Don Ameche such an iconic movie role that the device was … Continue reading
“#&*%@!!” HE SAID
A FEATURE IN The Wall Street Journal, August 2, 2016, is titled “Vol. 29, No. 7: Vulgarities.” It updates this newspaper’s treatment of words and phrases that once weren’t uttered … Continue reading
CIRCUIT OF BRITAIN AIR RACE—1911
THE WORDS Brooklands and Brighton resonate today with historic motorsports: the wonderful Brooklands Museum and the annual London-to-Brighton Run for veteran cars. Back in 1911, these two locales were only … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 