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

Category Archives: I Usta be an Editor Y’Know

WORTHY OF THOUGHT PART 2

YESTERDAY’S WORTHY THOUGHTS came from Miguel de Cervantes, Dan Rather, and Carl Sandburg (talk about variety!). Here in Part 2 we continue with another view on solitude. Paul Johannes Tillich, … Continue reading

August 5, 2025 · Leave a comment

WORTHY OF THOUGHT PART 1

WE LIVE ADJACENT TO AN INFORMATION HIGHWAY; alas, all too often as well, it’s an Information Sewer. Yet occasionally things arise that are worthy of thought. Here, in Parts 1 … Continue reading

August 4, 2025 · 3 Comments

OPERA—PARK AND BARK, VERISMO, BUT ALWAYS RIDING THE RAZOR EDGE OF ABSURDITY

IN HER A MAD LOVE: AN INTRODUCTION TO OPERA, Vivien Schweitzer describes “park and bark” singers as those “who mostly stand immobile, or limit themselves to stock gestures, as was … Continue reading

July 22, 2025 · 3 Comments

REPARTEE ON AND OFF STAGE AND SCREEN

ENOUGH WITH POLITICS; THERE HAS BEEN PLENTY of great dissing in other areas. Dr. Mardy Grothe has a fine collection in Viva La Repartee, tidbits from which are offered here … Continue reading

July 17, 2025 · Leave a comment

“JUST BECAUSE I’M A LIBRARIAN DOESN’T MEAN I HAVE TO DRESS AS ONE”—BELLE DA COSTA GREENE

THE LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS, JUNE 26, 2025, BLURBS Francesca Wade’s “The Best-Paid Woman in NYC.” Wade is reviewing two books, Belle Da Costa Greene: A Librarian’s Legacy and Becoming … Continue reading

July 4, 2025 · Leave a comment

SAID CORRECTLY

THERE ARE SOME WORDS THAT I MISPRONOUNCE; others that I say correctly but misspell. Conveniently enough, Merriam-Webster discusses both sorts. Our Mongrel Language. “English is famously difficult to spell,” M-W … Continue reading

June 20, 2025 · 2 Comments

FATE AND AN F1 HERO

LET’S RETURN TO THE PIRELLI ALBUM OF MOTOR RACING HEROES, assembled by John Surtees, himself a Drivers’ World Champion. Pirelli Album of Motor Racing Heroes, by John Surtees, Motorbooks International, … Continue reading

May 25, 2025 · 1 Comment

FRANK MUIR ON EDUCATION AND LITERATURE PART 2

YESTERDAY WE STARTED SELECTING CHOICE QUOTES from Frank Muir’s An Irreverent and Thoroughly Incomplete Social History of Almost Everything. We continue today in Part 2 with the likes of George … Continue reading

May 21, 2025 · Leave a comment

FRANK MUIR ON EDUCATION AND LITERATURE PART 1

FRANK MUIR, HE OF MUIR AND NORDEN “My Word!/My Music!,” also put together a wonderful collection of things he enjoyed reading. An Irreverent and Thoroughly Incomplete Social History of Almost … Continue reading

May 20, 2025 · 1 Comment

ON ANGULAR SAND

SAUDI ARABIA HAS A WEALTH OF OIL, BUT its sand may be less valuable than Greenland’s. I come by this tidbit from an odd source: a lengthly response in the … Continue reading

May 17, 2025 · 2 Comments