MOLLS, SPIVS AND GOODY TWO-SHOES
A BOOK on slang may seem like a contradiction in terms. Slang is ephemeral; books are lasting, or used to be thought so. On the other hand, historical slang is … Continue reading
NEED ENERGY? MORE OIL? BETTER SOLAR?
TWO RECENT articles in Science magazine, published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, give indications of energy research in two contrasting areas: How to form hydrocarbons; and … Continue reading
LED MATRIX HEADLAMPS
THERE ARE plenty of reasons for more automotive lighting of the Light-Emitting-Diode variety. LEDs are more efficient than conventional incandescent illumination. They give stylists great opportunity for originality. They offer … Continue reading
UNDERGROUND ART
THERE’S SOMETHING invigorating about public art. And, over the years, the London Underground has been a wonderful venue for its exhibition. London Underground art even generated its own typeface. Here, … Continue reading
AERIAL REFUELING, 1929
REFUELING AIRCRAFT in mid-air is now routine with air forces around the world. Its history, though, is a combination of military methodology and publicity stunt bravado. A Sirius XM “Radio … Continue reading
B20: DO I FEEL LUCKY?
WHEN B20 biodiesel is discussed, I am reminded of Dirty Harry, Clint Eastwood’s character, saying to the punk, “You’ve got to ask yourself a question, ‘Do I feel lucky?’” This, … Continue reading
ENGLISH CLUBLAND
NEITHER SHERLOCK Holmes nor his brother Mycroft were English Clubland sorts. True, Mycroft was a Founder of the Diogenes Club, an establishment said to have “the most unsociable and unclubbable … Continue reading
WHY “THE FAT LADY” IS FAT
AS THEY say, “The opera ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings.” And, with evidence of two wonderful cookbooks in my collection, I believe I know why the fat lady … Continue reading
CARRIER OPPS, 100 YEARS AGO
IT WAS less than a decade after the Wright Bros. first flew that an aeroplane took off from and landed on a ship. These aviation firsts were accomplished by the … Continue reading
CARS AND THE ‘BURBS
SOME OF those into social engineering delight in disparaging the automobile and its suburban environment. From whatever their view—a luxury midtown loft?—they want to shame us out of the ’burbs … Continue reading
