HOAX: A REAL ETYMOLOGY
IN MY continuing Etymology for our Times, I offer the word “hoax,” often tweeted by Trump to describe things with which he disagrees or possibly misunderstands. Merriam-Webster says the verb … Continue reading
CHINESE TYPEWRITERS
THE CHINESE invented the world’s first movable-type printing press around 1040 A.D., yet practical Chinese typewriting had to wait until the late 20th-century and the computer era. Indeed, there has … Continue reading
HAPPY 50TH, SUBARU!
LET’S CELEBRATE Subaru’s golden anniversary selling cars here in the U.S. In doing so, I offer a parable of focusing on strengths to overcome adversity. Other tidbits here touch on … Continue reading
ROLL OVER EVERY FEW WEEKS
I USED to believe that bears were the typical hibernators. However, “Squirrels With a Rainy Day Fund,” by Mitch Leslie, in AAAS Science magazine, March 2, 2018, encouraged a bit … Continue reading
HOLMES, DEDUCTION, THE KLAN, AND A LESS THAN PERFECT RESOLUTION
AN EXAMPLE of Sherlock Holmes’ deductive skills lies in his encounter with the Ku Klux Klan described in Dr. John H. Watson’s chronicle of “The Five Orange Pips.” This adventure … Continue reading
IGNORANCE: ITS ETYMOLOGY AND DISPLAY
“I AM largely ignorant of Latin.” “Ignorance is bliss.” “Tweeting it as ‘Marine Core’ displays more than a little ignorance.” Each of these sentences displays a nuance of “ignorance,” defined … Continue reading
AERO HISTORY—A CENTURY AGO PART 2
C.G. GREY’S 1917 Jane’s summary of “modern” aeronautics seems to predate his political inclinations discussed yesterday here at SimanaitisSays. However, his views were no less outspoken in matters technical and … Continue reading
AERO HISTORY—A CENTURY AGO PART 1
“A BRIEF History of Modern Aeronautics,” by C.G. Grey, appeared as a supplement to Jane’s All The World’s Aircraft 1917. By that time, Jane’s had become the world’s authority on … Continue reading
QUANTUM AND AI TIDBITS PART 2
WHAT A challenging time for artificial intelligence! Quantum computers have proven their efficacy by running millions of test programs. Yet there are fundamental questions remaining about AI. Here are two. … Continue reading
