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

A PERPETUAL CALENDAR

AMONG MY many ornamental objects of questionable modern utility is a perpetual calendar. After all, there’s always the Calendar icon on my smart phone. Also, complete data are displayed, to … Continue reading

December 5, 2015 · 2 Comments

MANY FLUTES ARE MAGICAL

MOZART’S DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, The Magic Flute, is an opera that has been magical in many ways. When it premiered in 1791, it was a linguistic breakaway that also spilled the … Continue reading

December 4, 2015 · 1 Comment

SOME OF THE THINGS I KNEW FOR SURE WERE NOT

LIFE IS full of continuing ed. Or at least it can be. Among the many facts I’ve accumulated over the years, more than a few of them are downright incorrect. … Continue reading

December 3, 2015 · 4 Comments

GEORGIAN DIGS, PART III: THE ROYAL PAVILION AT BRIGHTON

IN THE late 18th century, Brighton was an eight-hour trip from London to England’s south seacoast, 58 miles. George, Prince of Wales, later to become King George IV, liked the … Continue reading

December 2, 2015 · Leave a comment

LITHIUM-AIR—THE BEST OF BATTERIES, THEORETICALLY

LITHIUM-AIR TECHNOLOGY comes as close as possible to the theoretical limits of battery energy density; this, according to Science, the weekly magazine published by the American Association for the Advancement … Continue reading

December 1, 2015 · 2 Comments

GEORGIAN SHENANNIGANS, PART II: ENGLAND’S GOLDEN AGE OF CARICATURE

IF EVER there was a royal personage ripe for caricature, it was George, Prince of Wales, later succeeding his father to become King George IV. A wonderful scalliwag, George had … Continue reading

November 30, 2015 · Leave a comment

“SERVICE” STATION TIPS—1938

YOUNGER AMERICANS may never have heard the term “service” associated with gasoline stations. Today, in many places we pump our own. Even in states where others do the refueling, attendants … Continue reading

November 29, 2015 · 5 Comments

GEORGE, PRINCE OF WALES, ROYAL SCALLIWAG: PART I

QUEEN ELIZABETH II spoke of her Annus Horribilis of 1992, but it pales in comparison with the goings-on of George, Prince of Wales, prior to his becoming King George IV … Continue reading

November 28, 2015 · 3 Comments

TRACK TESTING, POST-TAPLEY METER, PRE-WHIZBANG

I CAME upon some photos summarizing automotive testing as practiced when I arrived at R&T in the late 1970s. One photo brought back memories of the excitement, the technical expertise, … Continue reading

November 26, 2015 · 5 Comments

HYPIN’ HOLMES

YA GOTTA schlep the stock, move the merchandise, fill the till. And what better celebrity endorsement than the world’s most famous consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes. Over the years, Holmes has … Continue reading

November 25, 2015 · Leave a comment