1811: A VERY GOOD YEAR
ALAS, AAAA SCIENCE NOTES, “When it comes to understanding the medieval climate of Europe, scientists face a daunting issue: Europeans loved to chop down their oldest and biggest trees.” “Outside … Continue reading
WOULD YOU BUY A USED/NEW CAR FROM THIS GUY?
AS REPORTED BY VOICE OF AMERICA, July 28, 2024, “A manipulated video that mimics the voice of Vice President Kamala Harris saying things she did not say is raising concerns … Continue reading
GETTING A COLD CAPON IN 1911
THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY was known for sumptuous dining, even ordinary folks feasting on soup to nuts and a’plenty more. And Atlas Obscura recalls an especially significant feast: “Remembering the … Continue reading
RALLYING IMPROVES THE BREED
“IT’S GREAT TO DRIVE A CAR,” R&T noted in October 1984, “that’s exactly what it claims to be. Whether you think of it as a rally version of the Montecarlo … Continue reading
ENVIRONMENTAL SUCCESSES—OTHERS TO COME
WHAT WITH SUMMERS OF WITHERING HEAT across the country, indeed worldwide (45º Celsius = 113 Fahrenheit), only the dimmest of bulbs these days deny climate change. (You may remember, it … Continue reading
SPEEDY OLYMPICS
“HOW FAST IS THAT GOING?” asks a fascinating question posed by Jeremy White, Joe Ward, Noah Throop, Emily Rhyme, and Bedel Saget in The New York Times, July 24, 2024. … Continue reading
ART LOST BY SCHOOLGIRLS—SOME 350 YEARS AGO
WHAT A FIND! BRITAIN’S NATIONAL TRUST reports discovery of “A Display of 17th Century Papercuts,” July 15, 2024. Fallen Through Sutton House Floorboards. “Originally built for one of Henry VIII’s … Continue reading
RIDIN’ THE RAILS—ASEA AND OTHERWISE
WHILE LIVING ON ST. THOMAS, we occasionally had the pleasure of dining aboard fancy cruise ships (when enough of their passengers chose STT cuisine that evening). Otherwise, I’ve never been … Continue reading
POOR EX-PRESIDENT TRUMP
WHAT WITH A VERY BUSY NEWS WEEK, victim-extraodinaire Donald Trump has been displaced by Joe and Kamala. Poor him. To counter this Trumpian ennui, today’s SimanaitisSays recounts several past Trump … Continue reading
MATH: THE A.I. BS STOPS HERE
QUOTED HERE AT SIMANAITISSAYS, A.I. machines “are hard-wired for bullshit. They aren’t designed to be accurate—they are designed to sound accurate.” And among human endeavors, mathematics is one that values … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 