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

SCIENCE BITES

THAT IS, “BITES” in the sense of tidbits. In perusing my weekly Science magazine of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, I regularly encounter things that lead to … Continue reading

October 6, 2016 · Leave a comment

54.5 OR WHAT?

PITY THE HARD-WORKING automotive engineer. Or, should we decry the shortsightedness of people buying new vehicles? Or what about blaming government regulation for the current and approaching conundrums? Since 2012, … Continue reading

October 5, 2016 · 1 Comment

OUR AXIOMATIC FOUNDING FATHER

“WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS to be self-evident” begins the second paragraph of the United States Declaration of Independence. Its author Thomas Jefferson then enumerates these truths: “that all men are … Continue reading

October 4, 2016 · Leave a comment

TUNISIA TRIPPIN’–1908

I’VE BEEN ENJOYING harissa, the traditional Tunisian hot sauce. My jar of this condiment comes from Trader Joe’s, though it is made in Tunisia. Thus, I feel compelled to learn … Continue reading

October 3, 2016 · 2 Comments

PRINCE MICHAEL ROMANOFF–RESTAURANTEUR AND CON ARTIST

LET’S CELEBRATE PRINCE Michael Romanoff; he, of the famed Beverly Hills restaurant. For those keeping track of such things, this is in my on-going (albeit far from contiguous) celebration of … Continue reading

October 2, 2016 · 3 Comments

SUPPORTERS RUN AMOK AFTER POL LOSES ELECTION

SO THERE’S THIS rough-talking politician. He has run an innovative campaign, even to dropping leaflets from an airplane and landing in the fields to speak to voters. He loses the … Continue reading

October 1, 2016 · 3 Comments

WELL, Y’KNOW…

A FAVORITE CARTOON IS “The Emergence of Language.” And I’m fairly confident that, following “urg,” “ug” and “uh-oh,” among mankind’s first words were “well” and “y’know.” Or so it seems … Continue reading

September 30, 2016 · 3 Comments

ROSSELLINI’S (AND BERGMAN’S) FERRARIS

SE NON È VERO, a ben travato. It may not be true, but it’s a good story. And so it is with tales of Ferraris belonging to Italian film director … Continue reading

September 29, 2016 · Leave a comment

GREAT CAESAR’S FATHER-IN-LAW’S GHOST

A NEAT APPLICATION of archaeology, tomography and computer science has virtually unrolled a fragile 2000-year-old scroll. In today’s title, I invoke the memory of Superman/Clark Kent’s boss, Perry White, editor … Continue reading

September 28, 2016 · 1 Comment

A BLUE HORSE AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE

RESEARCHING ONE OF our flock of miniature sheep, I came upon Marco Cavallo, a blue horse that played an important role in Italian mental health care. Then, independently of this, … Continue reading

September 26, 2016 · 2 Comments