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

Author Archives: simanaitissays

STAND TALL/STAAN HOOG/STĀVĒT GARŠ

THE TALL GUY—or gal—gets the goods. Researcher Majid Ezzati at Imperial College London notes, “Being taller is associated with enhanced longevity, and higher education and earnings.” Examining this worldwide, he … Continue reading

July 29, 2016 · Leave a comment

ELECTING A PRESIDENT—1840 STYLE

IMAGINE: SOMEONE who actively campaigned to be president of the United States! And an old guy at that—William Henry Harrison was 67. Martin Van Buren, his incumbent opposition, had been … Continue reading

July 28, 2016 · 2 Comments

AS RARE AS… EARTH?

A PRESS RELEASE dated July 12, 2016, caught my eye: “Daido Steel and Honda Adopt World’s First Hybrid Vehicle Motor Magnet Free of Heavy Rare Earth Elements.” I’d agree, avoiding … Continue reading

July 27, 2016 · Leave a comment

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF FINES

THE FEDERAL CIVIL Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 doesn’t just sound redundant, it’s causing havoc among automakers. As with many laws, there’s rationality and a spirit of … Continue reading

July 25, 2016 · Leave a comment

DREADFUL THINGS LARGE AND SMALL

LOOKING FOR something to worry about? I confess, my topics here at SimanaitisSays are ordinarily chosen to be pleasant, upbeat, non-threatening. I figure we’ve got plenty of other places to … Continue reading

July 24, 2016 · Leave a comment

THE WRIGHT BROTHERS—AERO THEORETICIANS

THE WRIGHT BROTHERS went far beyond being bicycle builders because of their extraordinarily methodical approach to all of their activities. Why, for example, did these Ohioans first fly at Kitty … Continue reading

July 23, 2016 · 1 Comment

THE VILLAGE OF PETER FRITZ

PETER FRITZ did more than sell insurance in Vienna, Austria. In the 1950s and 1960s, during his spare time Fritz built architectural models. Indeed, he left more than enough structures … Continue reading

July 22, 2016 · Leave a comment

AN ENTHUSIAST’S FATHER BROWN

BEING ENTHUSED about classic cars, vintage aircraft and English mystery stories, I recommend the BBC TV adventures of Father Brown. In a recent PBS presentation, this parish priest/amateur sleuth found … Continue reading

July 21, 2016 · Leave a comment

CHEAP GAS—2016

THE U.S. CONTINUES to have the cheapest gasoline anywhere in the world I’d want to live. On July 18, 2016, Bloomberg.com offered “Gasoline Prices Around the World: The Real Cost … Continue reading

July 20, 2016 · 1 Comment

JET LAGS I HAVE KNOWN

IN CASE YOU EVER wondered, Joanna Klein explained, “Why Jet Lag Can Feel Worse When You Travel From West to East,” in The New York Times, July 15, 2016. Klein … Continue reading

July 19, 2016 · 2 Comments