WHICH CAME FIRST, THE CHICKEN OR THE RICE? OR WAS IT A TIE? PART 1
DOMESTICATION OF THE CHICKEN, you’d think, would have been an historically defined deal. But, indeed, research published only recently has upset traditional thoughts on the matter. Here, in Parts 1 … Continue reading
TRAVELS WITH EMMA—THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY
I WAS ORDERING another book entirely (of which more, once it arrives) when the Amazon Smile algorithm was spot-on with two other recommendations. Here are tidbits about one of these … Continue reading
SPINNING MERCURY!
THOSE OF US of a certain age remember pushing little blobs of Mercury around in science class; this, before people got all antsy about handling this extremely toxic element. Science … Continue reading
CASTAWAY LISTENING PART 2
YESTERDAY, MIRANDA CARTER introduced Desert Island Discs, a long-running BBC interview program, its theme describing desirable musical accompaniments to castaway island living. We continue today with tidbits about this, together … Continue reading
CASTAWAY LISTENING PART 1
THE IDEA OF BEING a castaway on a desert island seems increasingly pleasant these days. The London Review of Books, June 6, 2022 offers “My Castaway This Week, Miranda Carter … Continue reading
IN PRAISE OF BREWER’S DICTIONARY OF PHRASE & FABLE
FROM TIME TO TIME, I feel the urge to seek trivia. Not directed research on one thing or another. Just taking pleasure from unadulterated facts I really don’t need to … Continue reading
RUNNIN’ IT UP THE FLAGPOLE—1950
ROAD AND TRACK WAS BARELY three years old in 1950, but it had already attracted a goody number of readers and advertisers. Here are tidbits about the latter, with the … Continue reading
NUNS AND THE FLOOZIE
ENCOUNTERING AN ARCHITECTURAL nickname reminded me of asking directions in Birmingham, England. Here are tidbits on both Nuns in a Scrum and The Floozie in the Jacuzzi. The Sydney Opera … Continue reading
MUIR’S MUSIC MUSINGS PART 2
HERE ARE MORE SELECTIONS from Frank Muir’s collection of cited witticisms in his book An Irreverent and Thoroughly Incomplete Social History of Almost Everything. Part 2 offers a poem, a … Continue reading
MUIR MUSIC MUSINGS PART 1
FRANK MUIR AND DENIS NORDEN offered brilliant wit in their BBC radio programs My Word! and My Music!, both discussed here at SimanaitisSays. Books by both are delights as well: … Continue reading
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