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

HIGH ON MANHATTAN PART 2

CELEBRATING MANHATTAN SKYSCRAPERS continues here in Part 2, with tidbits gleaned from Stefano Chen’s “New York City’s Evolving Skyline,” The New York Times, June 9, 2019. Here, developers seek to … Continue reading

June 21, 2019 · 1 Comment

HIGH ON MANHATTAN PART 1

IN “NEW YORK CITY’S Evolving Skyline,” Stefano Chen writes that this year “could be the city’s busiest year ever for new skyscrapers.” Here, in Parts 1 and 2 today and … Continue reading

June 20, 2019 · 1 Comment

ON QUARKS, ROBOTS, AND PANDEMONIUM

PROFESSOR MURRAY GELL-MANN died, age 89, on May 24, 2019. He was an American physicist who received the 1969 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on the theory of … Continue reading

June 19, 2019 · Leave a comment

GODZILLA—AND CHANGING TIMES

SINCE ITS 1954 film debut, Godzilla has doubled in size, breaking all sorts of guidelines in evolutionary theory. It’s more along the lines of the Hollywood dictum that if one … Continue reading

June 18, 2019 · Leave a comment

SHERLOCK HOLMES—THE SPORTSMAN

IN INITIAL ASSESSMENT of Sherlock Holmes—his Limits, chronicler Dr. John H. Watson made no mention of sports other than “Is an expert singlestick player, boxer, and swordsman.” This was recounted … Continue reading

June 17, 2019 · 1 Comment

FAUX PIT STOPS IN F1 PART 2

YESTERDAY IN Part 1, fake F1 pit stops were frowned upon by the Fédération International de l’Automobile. But there was a time…. The Good Old Days with Stirling and Alf. … Continue reading

June 15, 2019 · Leave a comment

FAUX PIT STOPS IN F1 PART 1

PIT STOPS in modern Formula 1 are marvelously orchestrated affairs. Four tires are changed, maybe aerodynamic devices are adjusted, and the car is gone, all in a mere 2 seconds … Continue reading

June 14, 2019 · Leave a comment

THOUGHTS ON AUTO THEFT

AS REPORTED EARLIER this year in USA TODAY, January 9, 2019, “Thieves stole more vehicles in 2017 than they had in any single year since 2009—and the biggest reason might … Continue reading

June 13, 2019 · 3 Comments

RACING LINKS TO R.E. OLDS, THE SULZER BROTHERS, AND A COMMER KNOCKER PART 2

AS UNLIKELY AS it seems, engines with two pistons per cylinder have powered lots of British-built trucks and buses around the world. Today, in Part 2 of our Commer Knocker … Continue reading

June 12, 2019 · Leave a comment

RACING LINKS TO R.E. OLDS, THE SULZER BROTHERS, AND A COMMER KNOCKER PART 1

SCORES OF BRITISH bus and lorry drivers have been propelled by a highly unorthodox engine with a racing link. Based on a 1934 patent of Ransom E. Olds, or maybe … Continue reading

June 11, 2019 · 4 Comments