ETYMOLOGY: BELLWETHER
IT SEEMS immodest to quote one’s own comment, but I believe I may have originated “Satire is the bellwether of the body politic.” (Googled, this truism cites SimanaitisSays as its … Continue reading
TRENDINGS, AUTOMOTIVEWISE
SOCIAL MEDIA are big on “trendings,” identification of how many of us are thinking about one thing and another. Being the Luddite that I am in some matters (driverless cars, … Continue reading
THE LECLAIR CAPER
TO CALL this item the Leclair Case might confuse it with how Jean-Marie Leclair carried his violin. Indeed, I’m referring to this French composer’s murder. As with any good mystery, … Continue reading
ETYMOLOGY: TRUMPERY
TODAY’S ADDITION to my series of Etymology for our Times almost wrote itself. For the word “trumpery,” I consulted my usual Merriam-Webster, The Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, … Continue reading
ACCESS + ABILITY AT THE COOPER HEWITT
THE COOPER HEWITT, Smithsonian Design Museum has a thoughtful exhibit focusing on accessibility and inclusive designs developed for and by people with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities. The Cooper Hewitt, … Continue reading
THE 50TH MERSENNE PRIME IS FOUND!
TO PUT IT succinctly, 277,232,917 – 1 = Mersenne50! On the other hand, this might be a bit too succinct for non-math types, so let’s talk about prime numbers, Father … Continue reading
BRIT GRUB—TASTEFULLY EVOLVED
THERE WAS a time when British food was ridiculed: overcooked veggies, questionable meats, indifferent presentation. However, it’s my theory that, having the good sense to include kippers, they’ve long had … Continue reading
A SKATEBOARD FOR THE SPACE ENTHUSIAST
CARBON FIBER is high tech in aerospace, Formula One, and other specialized applications. Compared with traditional materials, it can be engineered to be incredibly strong and lightweight—yet, at $10/lb., it’s … Continue reading
FRANKENSTEIN MEETS AAAS
MY FAVORITE Frankenstein tale is Mel Brooks’ hysterical Young Frankenstein, though I also admit to reading Mary Wollstonecraft’s Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus in Leonard Wolf’s annotated edition. What’s more, … Continue reading
A GENIUS? THINK AGAIN
I THOUGHT “genius” was a straightforward word, a person of super-high intelligence. However, my old friends Merriam and Webster offer more nuanced definitions and a particularly interesting etymology. For instance, … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 