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

HAPPY 50TH, SUBARU!

LET’S CELEBRATE Subaru’s golden anniversary selling cars here in the U.S. In doing so, I offer a parable of focusing on strengths to overcome adversity. Other tidbits here touch on … Continue reading

March 19, 2018 · 1 Comment

ROLL OVER EVERY FEW WEEKS

I USED to believe that bears were the typical hibernators. However, “Squirrels With a Rainy Day Fund,” by Mitch Leslie, in AAAS Science magazine, March 2, 2018, encouraged a bit … Continue reading

March 18, 2018 · Leave a comment

HOLMES, DEDUCTION, THE KLAN, AND A LESS THAN PERFECT RESOLUTION

AN EXAMPLE of Sherlock Holmes’ deductive skills lies in his encounter with the Ku Klux Klan described in Dr. John H. Watson’s chronicle of “The Five Orange Pips.” This adventure … Continue reading

March 17, 2018 · Leave a comment

IGNORANCE: ITS ETYMOLOGY AND DISPLAY

“I AM largely ignorant of Latin.” “Ignorance is bliss.” “Tweeting it as ‘Marine Core’ displays more than a little ignorance.” Each of these sentences displays a nuance of “ignorance,” defined … Continue reading

March 16, 2018 · Leave a comment

AERO HISTORY—A CENTURY AGO PART 2

C.G. GREY’S 1917 Jane’s summary of “modern” aeronautics seems to predate his political inclinations discussed yesterday here at SimanaitisSays. However, his views were no less outspoken in matters technical and … Continue reading

March 15, 2018 · Leave a comment

AERO HISTORY—A CENTURY AGO PART 1

“A BRIEF History of Modern Aeronautics,” by C.G. Grey, appeared as a supplement to Jane’s All The World’s Aircraft 1917. By that time, Jane’s had become the world’s authority on … Continue reading

March 14, 2018 · 2 Comments

QUANTUM AND AI TIDBITS PART 2

WHAT A challenging time for artificial intelligence! Quantum computers have proven their efficacy by running millions of test programs. Yet there are fundamental questions remaining about AI. Here are two. … Continue reading

March 13, 2018 · 1 Comment

QUANTUM AND AI TIDBITS PART 1

I AM fascinated by AI, artificial intelligence, and its potential capabilities enhanced by the hyper performance of quantum computers. Today and tomorrow, I offer several tidbits I’ve collected over the … Continue reading

March 12, 2018 · 1 Comment

READING THE STREET—BRIT STYLE

THOSE OF us driving in developed countries take for granted the cues painted on streets and roads: turn lanes, crosswalks, bikeways, and the like. In Britain, pedestrians arriving from elsewhere … Continue reading

March 11, 2018 · 2 Comments

NYC: AC? DC? AC/DC?

SO I’M listening to a Nick Carter mystery on SiriusXM “Radio Classics” and he reveals a frame-up by recognizing an alternating-current clock at the scene of the crime, a New … Continue reading

March 10, 2018 · Leave a comment