WAS SHERLOCK HOLMES AN AMERICAN? PART 1
THERE’S SOLID evidence provided by chronicler Dr. John H. Watson that Sherlock Holmes visited the United States. But is it possible, nay probable, that the world’s first and greatest consulting … Continue reading
ETYMOLOGY—ELOQUENT, INARTICULATE
EVERY SO often, the meaning of a word surprises me. As an example, consider the word “eloquent.” It conjures up thoughts of classic Roman orations or the most memorable of … Continue reading
THE CRADLE WILL ROCK—80 YEARS LATER PART 2
MARC BLITZSTEIN’S The Cradle Will Rock was inspired by U.S. labor unrest of the 1930s. However, its story and the tale of its 1937 production are timely today. Blitzstein’s The … Continue reading
THE CRADLE WILL ROCK—80 YEARS LATER PART 1
AMERICAN COMPOSER Marc Blitzstein’s 1937 The Cradle Will Rock was a product of the Depression and yet it resonates with today’s less than tranquil times. Originally part of the government’s … Continue reading
DO AUTONOMOUS BEVS MAKE SENSE? PART 2
IF I AM to believe predictions, we will all be driving, er… make that non-driving, autonomous battery electric vehicles in a few years. Yesterday here at SimanaitisSays, counter arguments were … Continue reading
DO AUTONOMOUS BEVS MAKE SENSE? PART 1
I MAY sound like a crusty old Luddite protesting progress. However, I believe evidence shows that autonomous BEVs (driverless battery electric vehicles) make no sense, particularly in being feasible within … Continue reading
ETYMOLOGY—DESPICABLE
HOLDING INNOCENT children hostage in return for building a wall is despicable. And thus, the word “despicable” earns a place in the SimanaitisSays series Etymology for our Times. Merriam-Webster defines … Continue reading
CHIHULY’S BRIDGE OF GLASS
THIS IS a tale of an artist who overcame significant adversity through entrepreneurial spirit. And, with his help, of a city that overcame significant environmental adversity through art. In retrospect, … Continue reading
FUEL CELLS ON THE ROAD—AND ALOFT
HERE’S AN update on fuel cells in several applications. These electrochemical devices, relatively new on the road, have produced electricity in extraterrestrial vehicles for decades. Indeed, the Gemini and Apollo … Continue reading
ALLOMETRY, THOMPSON, AND THE BRAIN
ISN’T IT fascinating how one thing leads to another? An article on whales in The New York Times jogs my memory about D’Arcy Thompson, a scientist whose work got me … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 