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

SEEKING HEALTH IN 1897 CALIFORNIA

I BOUGHT MY Two Health-Seekers in Southern California because it was particularly bright for a book published in 1897. Plus, who’s not to like seeking health in Southern California, even … Continue reading

March 7, 2022 · Leave a comment

TWO-WHEELED STYLE—1902 to 1960

 I AM FASCINATED by the two-wheelers displayed by Sotheby’s in its Motorcycles and Bicycles Auction on September 16, 2000, in Chicago.  Here are tidbits on several of my favorites. Dursley … Continue reading

March 6, 2022 · 3 Comments

TOURING NORTHERN ITALIAN LAKES WITH GABRIEL FAURE (BUT WITHOUT THE ACUTE ACCENT)

GABRIEL FAURE WAS a French writer. He is not to be confused (at least now that I’ve researched matters…) with Gabriel Fauré a French composer. I was attracted to Gabriel … Continue reading

March 5, 2022 · Leave a comment

EXTRACTING RARE EARTHS FROM WASTE

RARE EARTH ELEMENTS present an environmental paradox: REEs are key to green technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles. Yet their rarity involves mining that causes significant … Continue reading

March 4, 2022 · Leave a comment

BOSSA NOVA—A MUSICAL UTOPIA 

FRANK SINATRA WAS introducing “The Girl from Ipanema” on the SiriusXM channel appropriately called “Siriusly Sinatra.” He said his accompanist would be Antônio Carlos Jobim, the guy who invented bossa … Continue reading

March 3, 2022 · 3 Comments

ROAD AND TRACK VOL. 1 NO.6    PART 2

VOL. 1 NO. 6 OF Road and Track first appeared in December 1949 and later in a Brooklands Books facsimile in 1987. Yesterday in Part 1, we learned about motor … Continue reading

March 2, 2022 · Leave a comment

ROAD AND TRACK VOL. 1 NO. 6   PART 1

I STILL HAVEN’T UNEARTHED my oldest rattle-taggle issues, but did uncover facsimiles of the magazine re-issued by Brooklands Books in celebrating its 40th anniversary in 1987. These are December 1949 … Continue reading

March 1, 2022 · Leave a comment

DOWN EAST CHATTEH    PART 2

THIS CONTINUES SHARING MY favorite New England expressions and phrases, as compiled by Charles Fry Haywood in his Yankee Dictionary. Parson’s Nose. Haywood is both succinct and technical on this … Continue reading

February 28, 2022 · Leave a comment

DOWN EAST CHATTEH   PART 1

WHEN I RECENTLY UNEARTHED Charles Fry Haywood’s Yankee Dictionary, I naturally turned to René, Maine pal/family member to learn which of these New England expressions were familiar to her. Published … Continue reading

February 27, 2022 · 1 Comment

A MAN, HIS THINGS MECHANICAL—AND HIS SISTER VERA

GEORGE EDWARD MILLIGEN was born in 1910; he died in 2004, shortly after which his collection of things mechanical was auctioned by Bonhams at the Goodwood Revival Sale 2004.  Here … Continue reading

February 26, 2022 · Leave a comment