JAPANESE FOLK ART
I AM a souvenir hunter. And, if our home bookshelves are any indication, I’ve been successful in this hunting. Though I’ve not been to Japan recently, I certainly have lots of stuff … Continue reading
GASOGENES AND THE MILLE MIGLIA
TO SHERLOCKIANS and other high-living Victorians, the gasogene is a piece of barware, a gadget producing carbonated water for mixing with whisky. To automotive historians, a gasogene was the answer … Continue reading
DE HAVILLAND BEAVER: PILOT FAVORITE, MOVIE STAR
THE CANADIAN De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver met one of its design criteria by being faster than a sled dog. This bush pilot’s favorite was named one of the top ten … Continue reading
CELLULOSIC FUELS—BETTER THAN A LOT OF CORN
TODAY’S ETHANOL is a lot of corn. Producing a motor fuel from corn grain raises the price of food. Ethanol-enhanced gasoline isn’t compatible with all cars (and other equipment fueled … Continue reading
IRON BRIDGE—CRADLE OF THE INDUSTRIAL AGE
SHROPSHIRE, IN the West Midlands of England, had rich deposits of coal, iron ore and limestone. The shire also has the Gorge, cut through it by the River Severn, at … Continue reading
MAGNIFICENT MACHINES—AND TALES TOO
IT’S AS though a bunch of aeroplane enthusiasts got together to make a comedy flick—and spin off a wonderful book. The full title, Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines … Continue reading
NELLIE MELBA—DIVA EXTRAORDINAIRE
WIFE DOTTIE’S prudent editing precludes my calling this item “Nellie Melba—Toast of…” or “Nellie Melba—A Peach of ….” But, in fact, this extraordinary opera diva of a century ago was … Continue reading
STUDEBAKER’S 162 YEARS
ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2014, the Orange County, California, Daily Pilot newspaper jogged the memories of automotive enthusiasts. Unknown to many people in the area, a building being renovated in Newport Beach … Continue reading
CATCH A FALLING STAR
PITY THE poor meteorite researcher. To catch a falling star is a complex task indeed. The challenges and rewards of studying such extraterrestrial objects are described in “All eyes on … Continue reading
THE ARROGANCE OF GENIUS
IT IS generally observed that geniuses have no lack of ego. They’re arrogant. Research has shown this. The arrogance of genius is a recurring theme in literature, theater, movies and … Continue reading
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