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: Sci-Tech

FUEL CELLS AND THE INTERNET

WE OFTEN forget that the Internet is an immense user of energy. What’s more, this is expected to follow a Moore’s Law-like trend of doubling every five years. The good … Continue reading

July 31, 2014 · 1 Comment

ARE YOU UNHAPPY? HERE’S NOT WHY, BUT HOW

A RECENT item making the rounds identifies the happiest and unhappiest cities in America. See, for example, http://goo.gl/IQPXNc and http://goo.gl/rskKG2. Superficially, it sounds like one of those social-network personality games: “Which … Continue reading

July 26, 2014 · Leave a comment

DR. ROBERT H. GODDARD—FATHER OF AMERICAN ROCKETRY

CELEBRATING, AS we are, the 45th anniversary of our first visiting the moon, we can also give a shout-out to Dr. Robert H. Goddard, rightfully known as the Father of … Continue reading

July 23, 2014 · Leave a comment

YOU WANT SHORTER FRIES WITH THAT? OR HIGHER G?

GOOD SCIENCE is never over. To wit, something as ubiquitous as the french fry is the subject of news items in Science, published by the American Association for the Advancement … Continue reading

July 20, 2014 · 1 Comment

SON OF DIRECTOR’S CUT

I THOUGHT I was done modeling the Otto Silent Engine, thus my posting the project’s Director’s Cut yesterday (http://wp.me/p2ETap-2is). However, as mentioned then I still sensed the need to endow … Continue reading

July 16, 2014 · Leave a comment

OTTO’S FOUR-STROKE—DIRECTOR’S CUT

TODAY I offer my director’s cut of the previous two items, “The Otto Four-Stroke—Self Taught” (http://wp.me/p2ETap-2hj) and “Otto’s Four-Stroke—The Continuing Tale” (http://wp.me/p2ETap-2hL). Building a computer model along the lines of … Continue reading

July 14, 2014 · Leave a comment

OTTO FOUR-STROKE—CONTINUING THE TALE

THE OTTO engine’s four strokes (see yesterday, http://wp.me/p2ETap-2hj) involve two complete revolutions of its crankshaft, twice 360 degrees. From a timing point of view, the intake stroke is 0 to … Continue reading

July 13, 2014 · Leave a comment

THE OTTO FOUR-STROKE—SELF TAUGHT

THE UBIQUITOUS Otto four-stroke internal combustion engine didn’t originate with Otto. For instance, Frenchman Alphonse Eugène Beau de Rochas patented the four-stroke concept in 1861, fifteen years before German Nicolaus … Continue reading

July 12, 2014 · 2 Comments

THE ORACLE OF DELPHI—ON HIGH TEST

THE GREEK Oracle of Delphi was vaguely known to me. Like so many other things, I knew I could learn more if I wanted with a quick Googling. But how … Continue reading

July 11, 2014 · Leave a comment

SCHMID LSR CRACKS 800 KM/H AT BONNEVILLE

VIRTUALLY, THE Land Speed Record car of Leopold F. Schmid has achieved its design goal of 800 km/h, 497 mph or 432 knots. I include this third equivalent unit because … Continue reading

June 23, 2014 · Leave a comment