Theme: "You People Are All Animals"
18A: WWII fleet admiral: BULL HALSEY
56A: One-time Crimson Tide chief: BEAR BRYANT
3D: Author of "How I Play Golf": TIGER WOODS
30D: "Peace Train" singer: CAT STEVENS
Vaguely heard of 30D, TIGER WOODS was gimme as I own the book. Not familiar with 18A & 56A.
Very fascinating puzzle, with a few obscure animal names though. I was just reading KITTY Kelley's "Jackie O" last night. Her name, plus TIGER Woods and CAT Stevens can be easily constructed into a "Feline'" themed puzzle. TIGER's full name is so theme answer friendly, with the WOODS, you know, add FORREST Gump, Lefty GROVE, you've got another solid "Tree" related puzzle. (Addendum: I was wrong on FORREST, wrong spelling, can you think of a real person whose name has "FOREST" in it?)
Many interesting names came to my mind earlier:
WOLF Blitzer: (CNN's "The Situation Room")
Dick WOLF ("Law & Order" producer)
Joe BUCK (Fox Sports)
Pearl S. BUCK ("The Good Earth" author)
BUCK O'Neil (the Great Negro League Baseball Player)
Matthew FOX ("Lost")
Michael J FOX ("Spin City")
Can you think of other similar names?
Across:
17A: Hindu music: RAGA. Literally "color' in Sanskrit language. Plus RAVI Shankar & SITAR, that's all you need to know about Indian music/musician/musical instrument.
20A: Whitecaps: CRESTS. Had big trouble here. I did not know the meaning of "Whitecaps" and could not figure out TORC (1D) either.
22A: Croquet sticks: MALLETS. New to me. I had no idea that the stick is called MALLET. Is it a special term for croquet only?
24A: Retro VW: BEETLE
26A: ___ Decimal System: DEWEY. This DEWEY stumped me big time in an early Feb puzzle, the one with the tough SERAC (Crevasse pinnacle) and the THAR (Whale's location) fills. I still don't understand "THAR she blows". Where does this phrase come? What's the exact meaning of THAR? Why "she blows" rather than "he blows"?
29A: British racecourse: ASCOT. Long history (since 1711).
34A: Fierce mythical bird: ROC. ROC in "Sinbad the Sailor" . It eats elephant. Must have gigantic eggs.
35A: Admission conduit: INTAKE. Pure guess. I've never heard of INTAKE valve before.
36A: Bill's partner?: COO
37A: Satisfying returns: REWARDS. Interesting crossing with BLOW (24D: Hard punch).
47A: Spiny-finned fishes: GOBIES. Foreign to me. He looks very ADDLED (50A: Confused). Wikipedia says most of GOBIES are less than 4-inch long, but some exceptionally large ones can reach over 1 foot in length.
49A: Shoshone: UTE. I always confuse "Shoshone" with "Gumshoe", which is often the clue for TEC. What does "Shoshone" mean exactly?
61A: Large auk: MURRE. Not familiar with "Auk" the bird, somehow Ayveq's large oosik slided right into my unconsious mind. Wikepedia says it's of genus URIA. Hmm, that's one curious observer.
DOWN:
1D: Celtic neck-ring: TORC. Stranger to me. Dictionary defines TORC as "a collar, necklace, or similar ornament consisting of a twisted narrow band, usually of precious metal, worn esp. by the ancient Gauls and Britons." He is wearing a golden TORC. That's a rather dreamy & unfocused look.
7D: Hooter: OWL. Here is Picasso's OWL. So simple!
9D: Enlightened Buddhist: ARHAT. No idea. I only know it's called Luo han (羅漢) in Chinese. It refers to "a Buddhist who has attained Nirvana through rigorous discipline and ascetic practice. ARHAT is Sanskrit for "He deserves" (Present participle of arhati). "Zen enlighttnment" is SATORI.
19D: Ramsay and Pinkerton: ALLANS. Knew Pinkerton, not Ramsay. Worked for Pinkerton China for a few years.
21D: Cracker Jack bonus: TOY. Look at this amazing 1915 Cracker Jack Honus Wagner card. I have a reprint.
25D: Coop flier: ESCAPEE. So many slangs for prison.
31D: Giraffe cousin: OKAPI. Completely unknown to me. Her neck is rather short. Wikipedia says OKAPI has very long blue tongue (about a foot long), which enable it to "wash its eyelids and clean its ears: it is one of the few mammals that can lick its own ears".
37D: Take up again: RESORB. I wanted RESUME. I had never heard of "RESORB" before.
34D: Cabernet, e.g. RED. And REDS (38D: 1990 W.S. champions). Cincinnati Reds. I dislike RED & REDS appear in the same grid. MARGE Schott, the extremely eccentric owner for the Reds, is a good candidate for "Simpson" themed puzzle too.
41D: Shackle: LEG IRON
43D: Coin-op eatery: AUTOMAT. No, nope, no idea.
48D: Road shoulders: BERMS
52D: Horse do: MANE. Boy, this was a very tricky clue for me. I spent a few minutes musing what the horse wanted to do.
C.C.
18A: WWII fleet admiral: BULL HALSEY
56A: One-time Crimson Tide chief: BEAR BRYANT
3D: Author of "How I Play Golf": TIGER WOODS
30D: "Peace Train" singer: CAT STEVENS
Vaguely heard of 30D, TIGER WOODS was gimme as I own the book. Not familiar with 18A & 56A.
Very fascinating puzzle, with a few obscure animal names though. I was just reading KITTY Kelley's "Jackie O" last night. Her name, plus TIGER Woods and CAT Stevens can be easily constructed into a "Feline'" themed puzzle. TIGER's full name is so theme answer friendly, with the WOODS, you know, add FORREST Gump, Lefty GROVE, you've got another solid "Tree" related puzzle. (Addendum: I was wrong on FORREST, wrong spelling, can you think of a real person whose name has "FOREST" in it?)
Many interesting names came to my mind earlier:
WOLF Blitzer: (CNN's "The Situation Room")
Dick WOLF ("Law & Order" producer)
Joe BUCK (Fox Sports)
Pearl S. BUCK ("The Good Earth" author)
BUCK O'Neil (the Great Negro League Baseball Player)
Matthew FOX ("Lost")
Michael J FOX ("Spin City")
Can you think of other similar names?
Across:
17A: Hindu music: RAGA. Literally "color' in Sanskrit language. Plus RAVI Shankar & SITAR, that's all you need to know about Indian music/musician/musical instrument.
20A: Whitecaps: CRESTS. Had big trouble here. I did not know the meaning of "Whitecaps" and could not figure out TORC (1D) either.
22A: Croquet sticks: MALLETS. New to me. I had no idea that the stick is called MALLET. Is it a special term for croquet only?
24A: Retro VW: BEETLE
26A: ___ Decimal System: DEWEY. This DEWEY stumped me big time in an early Feb puzzle, the one with the tough SERAC (Crevasse pinnacle) and the THAR (Whale's location) fills. I still don't understand "THAR she blows". Where does this phrase come? What's the exact meaning of THAR? Why "she blows" rather than "he blows"?
29A: British racecourse: ASCOT. Long history (since 1711).
34A: Fierce mythical bird: ROC. ROC in "Sinbad the Sailor" . It eats elephant. Must have gigantic eggs.
35A: Admission conduit: INTAKE. Pure guess. I've never heard of INTAKE valve before.
36A: Bill's partner?: COO
37A: Satisfying returns: REWARDS. Interesting crossing with BLOW (24D: Hard punch).
47A: Spiny-finned fishes: GOBIES. Foreign to me. He looks very ADDLED (50A: Confused). Wikipedia says most of GOBIES are less than 4-inch long, but some exceptionally large ones can reach over 1 foot in length.
49A: Shoshone: UTE. I always confuse "Shoshone" with "Gumshoe", which is often the clue for TEC. What does "Shoshone" mean exactly?
61A: Large auk: MURRE. Not familiar with "Auk" the bird, somehow Ayveq's large oosik slided right into my unconsious mind. Wikepedia says it's of genus URIA. Hmm, that's one curious observer.
DOWN:
1D: Celtic neck-ring: TORC. Stranger to me. Dictionary defines TORC as "a collar, necklace, or similar ornament consisting of a twisted narrow band, usually of precious metal, worn esp. by the ancient Gauls and Britons." He is wearing a golden TORC. That's a rather dreamy & unfocused look.
7D: Hooter: OWL. Here is Picasso's OWL. So simple!
9D: Enlightened Buddhist: ARHAT. No idea. I only know it's called Luo han (羅漢) in Chinese. It refers to "a Buddhist who has attained Nirvana through rigorous discipline and ascetic practice. ARHAT is Sanskrit for "He deserves" (Present participle of arhati). "Zen enlighttnment" is SATORI.
19D: Ramsay and Pinkerton: ALLANS. Knew Pinkerton, not Ramsay. Worked for Pinkerton China for a few years.
21D: Cracker Jack bonus: TOY. Look at this amazing 1915 Cracker Jack Honus Wagner card. I have a reprint.
25D: Coop flier: ESCAPEE. So many slangs for prison.
31D: Giraffe cousin: OKAPI. Completely unknown to me. Her neck is rather short. Wikipedia says OKAPI has very long blue tongue (about a foot long), which enable it to "wash its eyelids and clean its ears: it is one of the few mammals that can lick its own ears".
37D: Take up again: RESORB. I wanted RESUME. I had never heard of "RESORB" before.
34D: Cabernet, e.g. RED. And REDS (38D: 1990 W.S. champions). Cincinnati Reds. I dislike RED & REDS appear in the same grid. MARGE Schott, the extremely eccentric owner for the Reds, is a good candidate for "Simpson" themed puzzle too.
41D: Shackle: LEG IRON
43D: Coin-op eatery: AUTOMAT. No, nope, no idea.
48D: Road shoulders: BERMS
52D: Horse do: MANE. Boy, this was a very tricky clue for me. I spent a few minutes musing what the horse wanted to do.
C.C.
156 comments:
Good morning, C.C. and fellow DFs - always good to be back among fellow miscreants. Had a great weekend of water skiing, tubing, etc. By the way, if you want to have your own life-pondering moment, get thrown off a tube at 30-something miles an hour. I have aches where I don't even have body parts.
Anyway, to the puzzle - couple words I'd not heard of - murre, torc and arhat, and one that didn't seem to match the clue - resorb - but otherwise pretty straightforward. Also some good fodder for the sirens; as with C.C., I found the intersection of reward/blow to be most appropriate.
Clear ayes, my compliments on your 2:15 post yesterday; you summed up what a lot of us feel. Best post of the day, IMHO.
I may not be posting much today - even my fingers hurt. I think I need a reward for surviving yesterday.
Hope it's an outstanding day for everyone.
Good Monday morning CC etal,
Not too much trouble today - some tricky ones, though. I had trouble with 36A - Bill = coo? Got on the perps, but doen't make sense to me. 39A - old seafarer = tar? I don't understand that one either, but got it on the perps. Finally, 49A - Shoshone = ute? Agai, on the perps, but makes no sense - Shoshone is an Indian tribe, Ute is an Indian tribe, and yes, they share a reservation, but as far as I can tell they are seperate tribes.
CC: "Thar she blows!" was what the lookout on a whaling ship would shout down to the deck to point out the location of a whale. Also, Automats were coin operated "feeding stations" in large cities in the 50's & 60's - there is actually one left in New York, but I'm not sure where it is. Another History Channel "Modern Marvels" learning for me.
Hope the week starts well for everyone.
Dennis,
What is "tubing"?
Chris,
You've never heard of "bill and coo"? Hmmm, I am surprised. Does "Thar" mean "there"?
Chris, 'tar' is an old slang term for sailor (we Marines have several others that will remain unsaid); it's thought to be from the tarpaulins that sailors used to keep things dry.
I never researched the Shoshone/Ute connection, but it's probably the most frequent Indian crossword clue/answer I've seen.
Horn & Hardart automats were a staple in Philadelphia until the 70s.
Dennis - thanks for tar explanation.
CC - yes, "Thar" = "there"
C.C., tubing on water means hanging onto an oversized circular 'tube' being pulled by a boat while the madman driving it does his damndest to fling you into the next life...
Dennis & Chris,
I understand "ship" is always a "she", but here "Thar she blows" refers to the whale. Is whale often referred to as a "she" also?
C.C., no.
"Thar she blows" is a variant of "There she blows".... or " There is the Whale that we are hunting, spouting water'
" Thar " is "rural speak" for "there".
P.J.
Good Morning, c.c. and all.
Yes, c.c. THAR is a dialect pronunciation of THERE.
There are mallets used in woodworking, and mallets used for tympani, tri-toms (marching percussion) and pitched percussive instruments like xylophones and marimbas. Basically, it means a stick with a head added to it.
I didn't care for the clue for 14A: By Pass = OMIT. And, in Illinois, BERM means a mounded area to the side of the road to block road noise or the view of traffic.
RAGA, ARHAT, and GOBIES were new to me, and I've never heard anyone use the word RESORB.
I finished the puzzle without assistance, but I'm sure that dennis was faster, despite being beaten up. *S*
Have a great day, everyone!
"Thar she blows" is part of a line from "Moby Dick" in which Ahab spots his nemisis and the chase is on...
Found the quote:
"Hardly have we mortals by long toilings extracted from this world’s vast bulk its small but valuable sperm (Lois, etal, he's referrring to the oil extracted from the whale's blubber that was used to light lamps back in the day); and then, with weary patience, cleansed ourselves from its defilements, and learned to live here in clean tabernacles of the soul; hardly is this done, when—Thar she blows!—the ghost is spouted up, and away we sail to fight some other world, and go through young life’s old routine again.
Fox Maulder in The X-Files. My wife and I still enjoy this series a lot at the SciFi channel at 4 PM on M-F.
Some universities and athletic teams have animals in their logos and/or names, such as The Carolina Panthers, Detroit Tigers and so on...
RESORB is a term used in Medicine (as resorption of bone, etc.) Chemistry experiments. drdad may be able to recall that name too.
*ouch*
Not exactly the easy Monday morning puzzle my sleep-deprived brain was expecting. I was actually quite proud of myself for knowing TORC (a favorite book of mine from many years ago was Julian May's 'The Many Colored Land and the Golden Torc'), BULL HALSEY and BEAR BRYANT. Also, I managed to get previously unknown answers such as ARHAT, ALLANS and MURRE from the perps.
What killed me in the end, though was the nasty intersection of RESORB and GOBIES. Never heard of the fish, and I can't believe RESORB is even a real word.
Ah, well. Better luck tomorrow, I guess...
Good morning to all!
After getting torc, murre, and gobies, I had to google them to see if they were words. The rest of the puzzle was easy.
Another Buck would be Buck Henry, who was one of the creators of "Get Smart."
I don't really understand a Beetle as a retro VW.
Mind is always in the gutter when I see the "hooter" clue.
I think "okapi" shows up in puzzles from time to time.
Resorb is to absorb again. We can absorb information. If we forget it, we can absorb it again, aka resorb.
Here is an example of a modern Manhattan Automat.Here is a drawing of an automat in 1904.
Today is National Milk Chocolate Day, Accountant's Day, National Day of the Cowboy, and Singing Telegram Day.
Have a great Monday!
Hi, all!!,
Recap; Very bad storm here Wed am. Many, many trees down in the village and was without power for a few hours. We had no damage at our house but others lost roofing, buildings, cars, etc.
Our neighboring farm had 8 to 10 large, beautiful maples in their front yard that are all (except one) firewood. They also lost a car in the mess.
We had planned to leave for a festival in the AM. Once the power came back on and we were allowed access to the main street, (about 3PM) we left and got back Sun PM.
I did do all the Xwords, except Sat's (no access) but couldn't post.
No internet, too much music to play and a general alcoholic haze that seemed to mellow the mood.
There's something about homemade rum that is addictive!!!!
Not bad today. Had some I didn't know: TORC, ARHAT, MURRE, and OKAPI, but they came together with the other fills. RESORB bothered me till I read a couple of the comments and finally remembered it.
OK, that's enough, I'm still cleaning up feathers and mud from last week (and I didn't even get involved!!!)
Later-----
chrisinla - the Automat that you speak of is the one in the picture I provided. It is operated by Bamn in Manhattan's East Village. It opened in 2006. And you have also tipped "the sisters" over despite your explanation of what sperm referred to.
Dennis, glad you survived the tube. I've done that a couple of times and yes, the pilot of the boat is usually pretty sadistic in his efforts.
flyingears - correct on the resorb and chemistry. I gave oneample but another one would be the absorption/resorption of light used in chemical analyses.
typo- one example, not oneample
CC, Been reading the comments and must say that you should understand that there are people in this world that will try to stir up trouble because that is their very nature. If they don't do it here they'll do it elsewhere.
Please don't take them too seriously because that's what they want (recognition).
When they find that no one pays attention to them they'll go away by them selves.
AND, to anyone that finds this BLOG to be offensive in any way I have this for you-- GO AWAY!!!
I'm sure that if you come across an offensive TV channel you push the button on the remote. DO THE SAME THING WITH YOUR MOUSE, and if that doesn't work the computer manufacturers have included a wonderful new feature-=---- It's called the ON/OFF switch! Change it to proper setting for your usage!!!
THERE, I'm done now....CYA
C.C., another of those "animal aliases is Hawaii's world famous bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman is the one fellow that I watch in the tube.
KittyB,
Thank you for the MALLET information. I just found out the MALLET is also used in POLO. Some of the old artist signed piece of OLLAS can fetch thousands of dollars.
Flyingears,
"Fox Maulder": Thank you. I just realized that my Forrest Gump was not suitable for the TREE themed puzzle. Wrong spelling. Is there a real person whose name has a "Forest"?
Barry,
Is that book about celtic mythology?
Dr.Dad,
Why not REABSORB?
Bill,
Great to hear from you again. Thought of you seeing "Bill's partner?" clue earlier this morning. Lots of things happened while you were away.
Good morning CC & DF's:
Bill: you Roc!!! Amen, Brother!
Dennis: welcome back. At least you're in one piece...which is a good place to be, might I add.
Chris: thank you for the explanation of 'sperm'...it comes through lighted wicks for me too.
As to the puzzle? Laughed my Ascot off w/Hooters. Loved the thought of legiron and toy combined with intake/blow and mallets/spear. Great rewards there in my eden! Been playing with my cowboys and 'horse do' got me into manure first... then mane...funny how m-a-n is the start of both words. Hello, Buckaroo! Dewey or not? We dew! Stoves aren't the only thing hot around here.
Enjoy this gorgeous day.
Clear Ayes,
I echo Dennis' opinion on your 2:15pm comment yesterday. I enjoy the double entendres and euphemisms as long as they are done TASTEFULLY. Thank you for the generosity in sharing your knowledge on various issues.
Ken & Argyle,
I hope I can absorb and RESORB the the information you two offered on Sunday.
Carl,
Regarding your 2:26am comment last night, I am not sure I fully understand. The initial intention for your "deadpanned comments", in my opinion, is to amuse & amaze, the former for the sirens who understand you, the latter for people like me who have difficulty following your threads of thinking. I feel disappointed by your saying "humor isn't funny when it has to be explained". How can I learn and enjoy your humor if you are not willing to explain?
CC: Another explanation of tubing is sitting on a large tire tube and roaring down a fast river, no boat involved. That's popular in our area, especially on Otter Tail River in Otter Tail County, Minn. The tubers attach a small tube to hold their coolers of adult beverages. On hot days (like this week) you can hardly see the river for all the tubers.
resorb and reabsorb both mean the same thing, i.e., to absorb again. I think resorb is the shortened version but am not sure. Resorb is also, I think, has common medical meaning as well but I don't think reabsorb is used in this sense. Could be wrong, though. If someone else has ideas on this, feel free to comment.
Boy, did that come out garbled, or what?
Dennis & Dr. Dad,
What do you think about Sallie's comment @ 2:15pm yesterday regarding BEAVER & LODEN? Respectful? Does boiling really make LODEN waterproof?
Dr. Dad,
What garbled?
Dennis time for me this morning. There were some words I didn't know (torc, arhat, okapi, gobies, resorb, murre) but all were easily solved from the perps. So I learned a lot of new words today which is why I like xword puzzles. Have a great day everyone.
C.C., i'm guessing that because boiling would shrink the wool and thus compress it, it makes loden relatively waterproof.
Re beaver - I've never used it (the word) with the intent of meaning pubic hair specifically; rather, it refers to the region. And no, it's not a term used to describe males.
Let's make an agreement to never get into all the euphemisms for male and female genitalia, as humorous as they may be.
Hi, I've been a lurker for a week or so, and I like this site a lot. I am an Aussie living in Taiwan, and I do this crossword every day (it's syndicated in the Taipei Times) I found this site by accident whilst googling a clue, and lo and behold, up pops this blog. Wonderful idea for one.
Anyway, regarding the sailor/tar clue , it originates from a heavy grease that the sailors would slick down their hair with to waterproof it. The flap on the back of their sailor suit is there to catch the "tar" as it drips off. Cheers to all.
terry, welcome, and thanks for the great info - I was clearly wrong on the 'tar' meaning. I always wondered what those flaps were for.
By the way, I spent a week in Kaohsiung back in the sixties during a joint operation with the Taiwanese Marines; spectacularly beautiful women there.
Dennis et al,
I don't mind this euphemism. It's fun for me to learn. I do, however, need your understanding of my "blissful ignorance" and your patient education.
Terry,
Hey! Welcome to the crew!
My resorb comment. Couldn't type at all and realized it didn't read well.
C.C. - I agree with Dennis' assessment, i.e., I thought it referred to the region.
Euphemisms are fine and most are humorous but perhaps it is best not to overdo it. Sometimes we are all guilty of that.
Thanks for the warm welcome everyone, and by the way Dennis, I also noticed the beauty of the local inhabitants, in fact I married one.
drdad, well said. I believe we have too much respect for the great women on this blog to take it to that level. Off-channel, of course, anything goes...
good morning c.c. and all,
smooth solving today, very wecome on a monday morning.
liked seeing 48d berm, as i used it in the crossword i recently constructed for girls weekend. one year we went snow tubing in idaho. after you ride your tube to the bottom of the hill, you take your tube to the end of the line (on the 'shoulder' of the hill) to get towed back up. there's a snow berm that some people (not us!) would try to climb over to get to the end of the line, rather than walk all the way around. i can still hear the shouts of 'GO AROUND THE BERM!!'
we had never heard berm before, and thought it was spelled burm. decided it was an acronym for 'big ugly round mound.' will always think of it that way.
@c.c.: forest whitaker. he was in one of my favorite movies, phenomenon, and more notably won an oscar for 'the last king of scotland.'
@terry: welcome.
@bill: welcome back.
Terry - Welcome! Get ready to become a dysfunctional!
Good day all. I spent my weekend directing a cribbage(card game) tournament for 150 folks. I didn't win a dime however.
Today's stumper for me was the cross letter R for torc and raga.
Concerning tar, today's enlisted sailor(US Navy a great time of my youth)still has the flap on back in honor or remembrance of the "tar" days.
Willima F. (Bull) Halsey was a great admiral of WW II, commander of the Pacific fleet. When reporters first asked for his name, they were told Bill Halsey. However, either Bill was misheard or a typo crept in and the name Bill became Bull. The image of a swashbuckling, fighting admiral grabbed the press and it's been Bull ever since. In truth, he was a quiet, soft-spoken man.
Bear Bryant, a fighting coach of the U of Alabama(Crimson Tide) for years.
Melissa,
How could I forget the "Idi Amin"? Loved Whitaker's "The Crying Game" and "Good Morning, Vietnam". Was it a 15*15 or 21*21 puzzle? Any special planning for your coming birthday?
Ken,
Interesting information BULL Halsey. Reminded me of Si Ri PAK (LPGA). Her surname should have been PARK.
Some comments on sorb, resorb, adsorb, and absorb. The sense of something being taken "in", e.g., water in to a sponge is sorb, yes, it's a word. Sorb, adsorp and absorb are almost synonymous. However, there are the medical inferences that flyinggears cited, but only absorb and probably reabsorb is used in absorbing someone, such as an ex-convict or rebellious teen-ager, in to society again.
For all who are interested, a new search engine debuted today. It is the product of some ex-google engineers. Maybe it will help you in your searches, maybe not. I haven't tried searching alot with it yet.
Cuil (pronounced cool)
Some notes on Saturday's blog. @Embian Some states have a bounty on nutria, but Louisiana doesn't need one. They have alligators.
@All I didn't note who mentioned hod(KIttyb?) as a coal storage place. Hod's second meaning is a coal scuttle(a scuttle is a small pass through, common aboard ships). Hod is a trough for carrying mortar to the mason laying the bricks. I mention this because hod is such a great x word.
Man from tripoli: Arcadian was also a group of French who settled in Nova Scotia. When Great Britain took over Canada, the migrated to Louisiana and became, in the local patois, arcajians or simply Cajuns.
@Argyle: As the song "Field Artilly" says, the caissons go rolling along. Caissons were designed to carry the cannon balls for field artillery in those days long ago. Being flat, the ammo could be hauled off more easily, I assume. When bodies were to be carried off, they would be ideal as an instant ambulance. I don't know how the tradition of their use in a funeral cortage came about for honored deceased, but as caissons were pulled by horses, it certainly has become a more storied way to go to one's eternity than in a hearse. Myself, I'm floating down the Willamette River on a flaming bier.
Th-th-th-that's all, folks. Ken
Ken - Rumor has it that the only jewelry Bear Bryant wore, and that he was buried with, was a ring with the inscription, The Junction Boys.
This was also a movie that starred Tom Berenger as Bear Bryant.
If you want a really excellent photo site for birds of the northern hemisphere try this one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sindri_skulason/
I found it while googling to try and identify some of the bird photos I'd taken on our June trip to Alaska.
Drdad. I wasn't aware of the Junction Boys nor the story, being a Big 10 and Pac-10 follower. I'll have to check out Berenger's movie. We've an incredible old movie rental place in Portland. Thx
CC: I don't think anyone really explained the term politically correct, except in terms of not wearing fur coats. It usually refers to ethnic slurs such as nigger or beaner (Hispanic). Sometimes a word that puts down anyone, as in calling a woman a slut, would be considered politically incorrect. There are many other examples of words that were once used, but have not been used often lately because of offense taken and given.
Sallie,
I've been waiting for someone to explain it clearly to me. Thank you. See, my confusion with this NUTRIA/BEAVER & Politically Incorrect is due to the strange explanation of NUTRIA by the Urban Dictionary: NUTRIA
"New Orlean natives who were forced to leave their sh?t hole world and migrate to Houston and thus jack up the crime rate of that city, and any other town or city along I-10 and I-20.
Example: Those goddamned NUTRIA only want plasma tvs and xboxes, not food and water."
That's why I was so ADDLED.
Barry,
Is that book about celtic mythology?
It's actually part of a series of science fiction novels involving, among other themes, time travel, and Celtic mythology does play an important part in the plot. But it's not really "about" Celtic mythology, per se.
For all who are interested, a new search engine debuted today.
Yeah, I've been reading about it all over the blogsphere today. Unfortunately, I think they need to upgrade their servers before going public, since I haven't been able to actually get into the site so far...
Addendum: to my remarks about political correctness, I meant to add that in reading an excellent but little-known book "Canoeing with the Cree" by Eric Sevareid written in the 30s about Eric and W.C.Port. The two
just-out-of-high-school boys, canoed from Minneapolis to Hudson Bay. In it the Cree Indians are referred to as "savages" frequently. That would not be done today.
The book is well-worth reading; it is a true page-turner.
THAR she blows! is from a book called MOBY DICK by HERMAN MELVILLE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moby-Dick
Moby-Dick[1] is an 1851 novel by Herman Melville. The story tells the adventures of the wandering sailor Ishmael and his voyage on the whaling ship Pequod, commanded by Captain Ahab. Ishmael soon learns that Ahab seeks one specific whale, Moby-Dick, a white whale of tremendous size and ferocity. Comparatively few whaling ships know of Moby-Dick, and fewer yet have encountered him. In a previous encounter, the whale destroyed Ahab's boat and bit off his leg. Ahab intends to exact revenge.
Good Morning C.C. and fellow D.F.'s:
Not too bad today, got most all except 1D and 17A..they didn't fill in even when the NW corner was done. I had trouble with the name on 18A but got it on the "perps"
Bill, thanks for your comment at 7:36!
Terry, welcome to our world - hope you stay and play.
Sallie, as to the phrase "politically correct": Politics has absolutely nothing to do with the way this term is over-used today. Calling someone names is wrong and insensitive but unless one is running for office and doing the name-calling (or other statements) publicly)it can't be "political". Guess this is a pet peeve of mine, because so many things are referred to that way and it just doesn't fit.
C.C. No wonder you are confused by the definition in the urban dictionary..I didn't understand it either..seems rather mean-spirited to me.
Nuff ranting, more later.
Coin-op eatery: AUTOMAT
If you have been to a hospital cafeteria after hours they sell chicken salad, egg salad, & ham salad sandiwiches. It's refrigerated a machine that can also sell pints of milk and apples & oranges.
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat
Carol,
Urban Dictionary definitely needs a Word Police to monitor its entries.
Good morning c.c, df’s and all!
Funky little puzzle today. I got the theme rater quickly. Thanks to Broadway Joe I’ve always been a ‘Bama fan, and Cat Stevens was a great singer/songwriter from the ‘70’s who I liked (maybe with a clue about Richard I of England we could’ve had a “Wizard of Oz sub theme: lions, tigers and bears oh my).
I used to go tubing down the Delaware river in Pennsylvania. What a blast!
c.c- I like Forest Whitaker (although he beat my favorite actor, Peter O’Toole for the Oscar); his best work was a bit part in “The Color of Money” where he out-hustles the hustler. Funny thing about O’Toole- he’s been nominated 8 times for an Oscar and has yet to win, always beaten out by someone who gives the performance of a lifetime (see John Wayne, Cliff Robertson, Ben Kingsley, and Peter Finch). I, too had a hitch with MANE, things having to do with hair are usually spelled “doo”.
Welcome, Terry! You’ll love this bunch; never has a more diverse, smart, funny and sassy group gotten together.
Today is a usual Florida day, clouds and rain on one block, sunshine on the next. We did have a nice, rare western rainbow this morning, though. It’s a good way to start one’s
I also remember eating at an AUTOMAT in Mid-town Manhattan as a kid, maybe somewhere around Macy*s?? Any NYers who might remember?
CC,
I would not put much stock in urban dictionary,
NUTRIA
"New Orlean natives who were forced to leave their sh?t hole world and migrate to Houston and thus jack up the crime rate of that city, and any other town or city along I-10 and I-20.
This was probably written by some dumb a__ed republican! Those people clsim to be christian! I guarantee Jeses would not have let all those people drown.
Anonymous @11:15 - we don't do politics here. If you have an agenda, take it somewhere else.
Anon @11:15. Dennis is correct in that we try to avoid politics. But, if you insist on doing so, at least have the guts to let us know who you are. Don't hide behind "anonymous."
G'morning C.C. & DFs
I seem to have suffered the same difficulties with the same words as you. So, I tossed it in the recycling (politically correct thing to do is recycle rather than trash) and came online to annoy.
@C.C. I am in your house (your blog creation) and I will live by your rules. I bear the guilt for "whacking"(sirens - please leave it alone) the hornets nest with a long stick (that too, please) but I never once mentioned female (or male) body parts in anything I wrote. I was, however, taken by surprise by the reaction. So, I spent hours thinking of an appropriate response. What I posted last night was the culmination of many hours of thought. The links I posted are all germaine to the usage of words. English is evolutionary and always changing. Nothing is static. I don't think you can deny history... although many have tried unsuccessfully in the past.
My "a joke isn't funny if it has to be explained" was an introspective look at myself... and a realization that the "duh" light had come on. In the end, I took myself seriously.
Have a good day y'all. As Jimmy Buffett would say; "I'm off to see the Lizard" (sirens - please leave that alone too).
I'm starting late this morning. Guess all the smoke in the air is drugging me. Many years ago I was a smoker and I remember that taste in the back of my throat.
Barry: you are spot-on with Julian May. I loved her books. I read both the Pliocene Exile (torcs galore!) series and the Galactic Milieu series at least twice each. All the books intersect with back history and characters. How she kept her convoluted cosmology straight is beyond me.
"Forest" names: How about DeForest Kelly, who was the crusty Doctor McCoy in the Star Trek series. "D**m it, Jim. I'm a doctor, not a navigator!! (or ballerina, or whatever, LOL)
c.c. 22A Did anyone else mention that "mallets" are also used in polo?
29A Our local chorus recently sang a selection of Lerner & Lowe songs; among them, "The Ascot Gavotte" from "My Fair Lady". Guess who got to yell, in her best Cockney accent, " Come on Dovah (Dover), come on Dovah. Move yer bloomin' arse!"? Here's a little self-deprecating moue :o)
A.W.D at 11:02 Melville is one of my favorite authors. "Omoo", "Typee" and "Mardi" are all wonderful books.
Anon at 11:15,
As much as I'm reluctant to add to the flames, unless you were here (in New Orleans) for Katrina, or were involved in the immediate aftermath/cleanup (which is still ongoing almost 3 years later), please hold off.
PTSD is a bad thing, trust me, I know, I've been through it - and at times still wake up to it. Be wise, let it go.
Carl, your post today really took me by surprise. You "spent hours thinking of an appropriate response", and what you posted last night was the "culmination of many hours of thought."??
I think if you're spending hours analyzing stuff and searching for the perfect response, you're missing the enjoyment that this blog is intended to provide. All the stuff we talk about is just 'surface' stuff - nothing particularly heavy, and we're not psychoanalyzing each other. I think you're at your best when you're just reacting and responding to the bait the sirens throw at us. I know if I ever get to the point where I'm spending anything beyond 5 minutes contemplating a response or a post, then the blog has lost its allure for me. I absolutely love the give-and-take on here, and the contributions of our diverse DF membership, and thanks to them, I couldn't take myself seriously even if I wanted to.
Anyway, if it were me, I'd just go with the flow and enjoy what we've built here.
Hope all that didn't offend - just MHO.
New words for me - torc, murre, okapi and gobies.
Our library still uses the Dewey decimal system, although many of the larger libraries find it inadequate for technical material. Using dewey adds to the rural ‘feel’ of our place.
c.c, that okapi is SO cute! Love her little pantaloons.
Anonymous 11:15 ….and learn how to spell. It’s a rather important skill for crosswords.
It’s one thing to name a personal peeve or concern, and another to assault a large group of people from the shelter of anonymity, in a divisive “us” and “them” fashion.
Isn’t that politically incorrect?
The ONLY time we do politics in this site is when they ask names such as TED, etc. Otherwise, we avoid it like leprosy. It brings needles to my skin... I do my politicking in person and very respectfully and careeeefully.
C.C., I can't think of any names such a forest with one (1) R.
drdad, we MAY also use the term resorption in radiation oncology (RADS), but I'm not totally sure. Generally the term is not that frequently used (at least in NOT my specialty).
barb b, I don't think anon is too concerned with spelling or crosswords.
I'm curious - what system do the bigger libraries use for technical volumes?
Can you tell I haven't been in a library for probably 10 years?
Carl, why would we (the"sirens")want to "leave alone" all those wonderful "come-ons" of yours :)..they make us who we are! So while you are whacking away (your poor lizard!), we will be waiting.
C.C., I forgot to mention that I've been doing this X/W puzzle for at least ten years and I still struggle quite a bit with Tinkertown people and authors. I generally feel good when I can fill at least 60-75% of the puzzle and I don't mind "Googling" or checking my dictionary as I learn words that my wife has never heard before... She doesn't do puzzles. Takes too much of her sleep time... I love doing SuDoKu and can be fun and frustrating... I do probably ten a day generally of medium difficulty ones.
mark - Buenos Aires
I too had problems with the resorb, berms, gobies, murre section. I have never heard of any.
Is eros a god or goddess?
We all know what addled means but how do we compare an addled egg, with an addled brain?
I understood seamen were tars because they used tar to fill in the gaps in the wood of old sailing ships.
Whats the difference between escaper and escapee?
A bit cloudy with drizzle here but about 60F.
Best wishes to you all.
Jeez, Carol, I missed the part about whacking his lizard -- now I feel bad for interrupting...
Yes, Dennis and Carol regarding lizard. And then along comes mark in buenos aires with seamen.
Not to mention he said something about seamen filling in gaps.
Hi again. RE: "Politically correct or incorrect". There's a current saying, "Everything is political." There may be a lot of truth in that. I Googled the subject and came up with a definition of "Political Philosophy". Not only does it seem to cover just about everything, it is also one heck of a long sentence.
"Political philosophy is the study of fundamental questions about the state, government, politics, liberty, justice, property, rights, law and the enforcement of a legal code by authority: what they are, why (or even if) they are needed, what makes a government legitimate, what rights and freedoms it should protect and why, what form it should take and why, what the law is, and what duties citizens owe to a legitimate government, if any, and when it may be legitimately overthrown—if ever."
Phew!
@dennis
It wasn't continuous thought... I was doing other things. But, it bothered me enough to dwell on it (not heavily) and realize I had pulled the trigger. I started a response several times through the day but they didn't make it to print... and it probably would have been better if the last one hadn't.
chris in la - no politics here. I was in N.O. in February. It was truly heartbreaking to see how much remains to be done. The good side is that so much has been accomplished. Bourbon Street wasn't hard hit by the storm but the aftermath (economy) has been devastating. The only place in the world (in my opinion) to get good Creole cookin'.
OK ALL. I'm through taking any of you seriously. So, if you're ever serious... please so identify. Now, no s**t! I really have to get something done (not the lizard). Jimmy Buffett had a song; "Off To See The Lizard"... aw to h**l with it. Do I need to explain any of this????
Carol: You are absolutely hilarious!
Carl: Hope that lizard is good to you. I'd've thought you'd be off to Margaritaville.
dennis,drdad: You are soo funny! This whole conversation reminds me of a modern day gas station...self service at the pump.
What a day!
Dennis,
The larger libraries, along with the academic libraries use the Library of Congress cataloging.
Why haven’t you been to a library lately? I’m guessing you buy the books you want, or use the computer.
The drop in traffic is a huge problem for libraries; many people think that computer technology had made libraries obsolete, and circulations are falling nation wide. In Jackson County Oregon, voters did not approve a tax levy for libraries and ALL the county libraries had to close. I think they privatized, but I’m not sure.
As to my comment to anon – I agree with you. If (s)he isn’t interested in spelling or crosswords, then the intent must be to get a reaction. I guess we should just ignore such comments.
@lois
Hmmm! Good idea... but I'm a "Cheeseburger in Paradise" kind of guy in the daytime.
@mark - difference? Somebody correct me if I'm wrong(and I have confidence you will) but I think they're synonymous. But, as you probably found out, escaper didn't fit.
ciao (in the Venetian definition)
barb b, you're right, I do buy the books I want, and then donate them when I'm done. No excuse for not visiting libraries, but I spend hours every time I go to a Barnes & Noble.
I hope kids are still being taught the value of libraries - I'd hate to see them go the way of so many defunct institutions.
Carl, ever been to one of the 'Cheeseburger in Paradise' restaurants? Great places, and many of them have Buffet-covering groups at night.
Good morning C.C. and all,
I love this blog and all of the "players." Today's puzzle was fun ; more gimmes than usual, googled a bit, and then took refuge in C.C.'s answers and explanations aided by all of you.
I have also enjoyed the banter going on this past week, and like you said, people should go away if they don't like it
@Carl- your 2:26 was so on target. Leslie Nielson-lol!!!! I do understand when C.C. says some things really need to be explained . In fact, isn't that what all of you are doing every day here? Hats off to all of your sharp minds and quick wits. I will mostly soak in your words rather than to try to compete.By the time I think of it, you've already said it.
Have a great week. I will put in my info when I figure it out. I seem to have to open an acct every time I enter :-( It always says "You're currently posting as JD Use a different account!!!!
Anonymous @ 11:15am,
I know. I should have learned my lessons from last week's "Blunder Bus" definition. Politics always brings me trouble. So please stay clear of it.
Xchefwalt,
Interesting LION idea, though it does not fit the "first-name is animal" theme pattern. AFRO is always clued as "Bushy do", not "doo".
Clear Ayes,
See my 8:16am comment to KittyB, I did find out MALLET is used in Polo.
Carl,
I am a very simple person. If I don't understand certain things, I ask. And I appreciate straightforward answers. If you think your answer might be too hot for the blog, just send me a private email. No need for you to spend long time rationalizing yourself and coming up with a perfect answer.
Sperm (oil) can light my fire anytime. Sirens always "help" seamen, and they stop blubbering when we are through with them..usually.
Trouble with Torc, Arhat and Murre but got them thru the perps. Pretty easy for me today. I, too, started off ausing the bb..ch word and was properly put in my place by c.c. It won't happen again. Mallets in polo and percussion instruments are correct. Resorb? Thanks to DrDad and all I now have a new word to add to my vocab.
How about For(r)est Tucker of the old TV series "F Troop?"
Ken. Keep and eye on ESPN Classic and you may see the "Junction Boys" shown there again. As an Ohio State Univ grad, Bear Bryant was a poor man's Woody Hayes.
I think Carl is having a pity party. Suck it up, Carl. We all make mistakes so move on and fun with this great blog and the DFS who use it.
jd, don't pay any attention to the words "use a different account", that had me confused at first too, but if your "name" is after "You're currently posting as ____", then just type your comment and scroll down to "publish your comment" and voila, hopefully it will be a success. Hope that helps.
That's "abusing the b..ch word"
Also, I meant "have fun" with this blog...
Sorry. I'll slow down and proof read in the future.
I forgot. to Anon in Buenos Aires, I also heard that since the inner lining of the hulls of boats and ships were covered with tar or pitch to prevent leaks, that material would get all over the sailors. Hence "Tars."
@dennis
Been there done that. (Going from foggy memory due to Mad Cow or C.R.S.), I hit the ones in Miami, and Maui. I've been to a bunch of Margaritaville sites also. Key West, New Orleans, Montego Bay, and Ocho Rios in Jamaica, Las Vegas, Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos(there last November), George Town in the Cayman Islands(several years ago), and Cozumel. Some like Hard Rock... I like margaritaville.
@all
One last thought... For some strange reason I thought it was horse doo... which immediately turned my mind to s**t... which seemed to fit with a cross of asteamed. Ooooh! I really gotta go!
@buckeye Thank you for your astute observation. We all need a "hug" once in awhile. But, I need pity like I need another ____fill in the blank yourself. When you know me, then judge for yourself.
Buckeye,
You really fooled me with your Theophiloerectus quote on Friday. Tell me how you came up with this wonderfully warbled word.
jd - those are two sentences. One tells you that you are posting as "jd." The "Use a different account" gives you the option to do just that. Once you log in as jd you post comments under that name until you leave the site or change to another account.
Carl,
Glad you got down here - February, huh? Mardi Gras, I presume?
Perhaps we should try to schedule a convention down here for all the DFs? CC: what do you think?
Dennis - there is a great deal of debate going on over reading on the internet vs. curling up with a good book. Personally, I think there is no substitute for a book. The internet may be a great place to read a lot of material and get different points of view on one topic, but the book takes you to a world of its own, heightened by one's interpretation of that world as one is reading it.
Xchefwalt,
Thought you would come up with Charlies LAMB earlier.
Chris,
Many things are beautiful seen from afar.
CC,
OK, just a thought
DrDad - I agree re: books - plus the sensuality (easy, Lois) of turning pages as well of the sense of accomplishment when finishing that you I just don't get from a "click".
DrDad and Cris in La,
I pretty much agree with you about books.
But I'm wondering about the Kindle -- every time I take a trip, my books take as much room as my clothes. It would be nice to have several available in a very small space.
Have any of ou tried one?
drdad, couldn't agree more. As much as I embrace new technology (Kindle, et al), there's something about the tactile feel of a good hardback.
Think that's enough ammo for our ladies?
Jeez, I'd be willing to bet that 100 posts by 3:00 Eastern is a record.
C.C.?
Good morning everyone! The theme for this one is akin to the Premier Sunday puzzle we got in The Oregonian yesterday -- "You People Are All Animals!" GOBIES and MURRE were new animals to me. The new words were TORC and ARHAT. Never heard of either one of them before.
C.C., I imagine that your questions have been answered by the DFs by now -- already 97 comments!
Dennis, I always thought "tar" for sailor was because of all the tar that was used to keep the rigging and masts lubricated. The sailor would get coated with the gunk, and thus became one and the same.
I see Terry has a different explanation. Welcome aboard, Terry.
Ken, I believe the émigrés from Canada to LA were ACADIANS, so the spelling is just a wee bit different.
C.C., sounds like the Urban Dictionary is something to be avoided at all costs!
Barb b, the libraries are still close, but there is a movement afoot to form a non-profit to re-open them.
It WAS morning when I started that previous entry!
The internet is so great for so many things, but there is nothing like the mini-thrill that comes from that "new book" smell.
c.c.: Have you ever heard Bette Midler's song, "From A Distance"? I've been a big fan of her's, ever since she first appeared on Johnny Carson's show and then "The Divine Miss M." ("You Gotta Have Friends" reminds me of this blog.)
Carl: Nobody beats Jimmy Buffett. I've got a terrific compilation CD of my favorite Buffett hits. "A Pirate Looks At 40", "Volcano" "False Echos" are on the list. I remember not too long ago, while visiting relatives on Sanibel in Florida, belting out a group version of "The Weather Is Here, I Wish You Were Beautiful". Yes, there were "Boat Drinks" involved.
Crockett1947,
Can you give me all the theme answers for your Sunday puzzle? Thank you.
Clear Ayes,
"From a Distance": Yes, I like it a lot.
Dennis @ 2:02pm,
I've never paid attention to that specific number.
Ahhh, Dennis, a hard back (et al)is good to find. We could have a whale of a time, huh? Don't want any tar on me though.
How about a blubber fight? Anyone want to throw a few pounds around?
We could flense each other: "to cut or gather blubber" :)
Carol, that's exactly why I go to the gym in the morning - to go flense myself. Got any other suggestions?
C.C., CHARLES LAMB, LARRY BIRD, HART CRANE, JOHN COUGAR, FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE, MATTHEW FOX, PEARL BUCK, DAVID HARE, CHRISTA WOLF; all across answers.
dennis, plenty :0 :0 I am one suggestive person.
well, those are two great suggestions right there...
@clear ayes
Got a hut on Montserrat on the northern side. Don't want to live there though 'caus it's not U.S. and foreigners are penalized. Don't want to sell it cause it's not worth anything near what I paid before the mountain blew. Even got a new airport a couple of years ago so I go there sometimes to get away from everything. The south side is history! Can't get away from volcanoes though so ya' learn to live with 'em. "O" is somewhat actively surrounded. ANYWAY... Buffett's Volcano was about Montserrat & its eruption. Do you have "Live in Anguilla"? Fun C.D. He's now gone to A Pirate Looks At Fifty.
@all Do any of you speed read??? I took the Evelyn Woods Reading Dynamics training in the '60s and just can't seem to break that habit. I always get the meat but I think I miss out on the fluff. I always take several books when I fly and the computer can't replace that.
@chris I was post Mardi Gras'l by one week. We were pickin' beads outta the trees. I was in N.O. for a telecommunication convention. There's a lot more to N.O. than just the French Quarter and I love everything except the HUMIDITY in the summer.
btw... my lizard's done... tastes just like iguana, or chicken or 'gator. I gonna leave out rattlesnake(shudder). "Lord forgive me for that there... and be with the Pygmies in New Guinea" - Larry the Cable Guy... which is ridiculous because there are no Pygmies in NEW GUINEA.
Crockett1947,
Wonderful! I've changed the puzzle title into yours. It's a perfect line! Would you mind sending me the clues for those theme answers also? Xie Xie! And who authored it by the way? Is your Premier Sunday the NYT syndication or what?
@crockett
Here in "O" we're more familiar with the murrelets as in the marbled endangered species. They're from the same family but smaller. It's ironic that we're more familiar with an endangered species than we are with their cousins who are also here. Their cousins, the murres, just don't need 200 year old trees... all together now... to get laid in!(or is that layed) I want to know; do they "card" the trees?
Hey - a bit off-topic, but I just got emailed a wonderful photo montage of life in America prior to Pearl Harbor. The pictures of rural America during the depression are simply amazing.
If you'd like me to forward it, just send me an email and I'll be glad to get it to you.
I was a bit late getting back to the comments. I see that Dennis gave some fuel for the "sisters" with hardback and Carol took the bait.
btw, Dennis. Send the montage to me. You have my address.
just got here. I wonder how long it will take me to get down to this post?
argyle, bring food; you're gonna need it. Has this thing exploded, or what? C.C., what are you creating next, and can I buy stock in it?
Been gone for a while, and look what happens!
@dennis & drdad- nice job on anon 11:15. We can have our differences, but language like that (especially from the brush) is juvenile and unacceptable. I stopped calling people names when I was 10.
@carl- thank you for the “naked gun” clip. I’ve been a fan of that when it was the tv show “police squad” and think both “airplane” movies are classics. And don’t sweat the small stuff, brother. Believe me, I learned the hard way yesterday that once the cat’s out of the bag, it’s not getting’ back in, no matter what.
On a personal note, something that is near and dear to my heart, the issue of chain restaurants. I take great pains while away to steer clear of them and find local eateries. Some of the best meals I’ve ever eaten have been at local, out of the way places that just took a little work and courage to find. Being involved in the business, I can say that the chains (and I mean the Applebee’s of the world, not BK and McD’s) are the bane of our industry. The suck the local guy out of the market, make it harder for everyone to make a living, and generally contribute the downward spiral that is the American palate. I’m sure that Buffet’s places are nice, but try the local guy and have your hard earned dollars stay in the community.
Dennis, yes, please send the montage to either of my e-mail addresses. Thanks:)
drdad, Yes, I took the bait! Hook, line and "stinker", and I really enjoyed him too.
...and now that I'm here...how much more is there...
Dennis, I did stop for a sandwich.
argyle, you probably wanna get comfortable.
carl: I checked out "Live In Anguilla". Looks like a great live album. I forgot to comment earlier that Jimmy Buffett is quite an enjoyable author too. I've read several of his books and they are fun reads; very good to take along on vacation.
Speaking of volcanos (earlier), it reminds me of a vacation to see (different) family in 1981. They lived in Battle Ground, WA, not too far from Mt. St.Helen. We were there about 10 months after the eruption and the place was smothered in ash; a reminder to all of us about the power of nature.
xchefwalt: Not always possible, but I agree whenever you can, you should take the time to seek out locally owned restaurants. Our area has some wonderful local places and we frequent them often.
btw: Is there a major difference between polenta corn meal and the regular kind? I want to try my hand and don't want to use the pre-made logs.
@dennis I'd love to get the montage also. My email's on my profile.
@walt Don't do Mickey D's but like Whoppers. Eat at a locally owned drive-thru that has knock your socks off bacon/cheeseburgers
that are second to none anywhere!
I also eat at a local family owned Mexican Restaurant(Guadalaran Cuisine). Just writing this I think I'm beginning to understand why my cholesterol is a little up.
I like Buffett's because of who owns it(good cheeseburgers too) but I hit a lot of restaurants favored by the locals of the areas I visit. I travel a lot so I eat out a lot. If you're ever in San Juan, be sure to visit Ajili Mojili's just off Condado Plaza. Local Puerto Rican cuisine at its best. Learned about blood sausage there... but I don't hold that against them. Their sangria was to die for!!!!!
I've got a lot of other local favorites including one in N.O. whose name escapes me (mad cow) in the French Quarter. Creole cuisine to diiieeee for. I usually try to avoid hotel restaurant food because it's too boilerplate. Man! Do I go on! Blah... blah... blah!
Clear ayes, that's where we took our ride yesterday, across the south and up the east of Mt. St. Helens. The area has made a dramatic come back, but knowing what it looked like just after the eruption and how powerful the blast was gives one pause to contemplate the awesome power of old Ma Nature!!
Carl, whacking, long stick, lizard? You seriously didn't think I could leave that alone did you? Had a wonderful three day sailing adventure...you can definitley say I have some definite tan lines (darn it).
carol, cokato, when will you grace us with pictures?
@clear ayes
I had a place on the Kalama River when St. Helens decided to redo the landscaping. The rapid meltoff due to the pyroclastic flow pretty well erased a lot of property. It didn't touch my house but sure made a mess of the shoreline. The Toutle and Cowlitz Rivers were equally hard hit. The positive side was that the ash was very high in nutrients and the Eastern Washington farmers are still benefitting from it.
@crockett The recovery is amazing! Elk & wildlife populations are higher than they were before the blow. With the open space, there's more browse for them. I think it's awsome the way all the trees are blown down in almost perfect alignment. Awesome!
@cokato Welcome aboard! Missed 'ya! Tan lines... don't need no stinkin' tan lines! I don't seriously expect anything... ever... it's just my job to throw out the chum... er bait! Never know what you're gonna catch!
@dennis: now that you're back, when does the hooters contest begin, and do you accept bribes?
6:33 today. Pretty easy puzzle ("easy" varies from one person to the next, of course), with only 1d: Celtic neck-ring (TORC), 9d: Enlightened Buddhist (ARHAT) and 47a: Spiny-finned fishes (GOBIES) new words for me.
@c.c.: (can you think of a real person whose name has "FOREST" in it?)
Ted FOREST the well-known poker player
FOREST Whitaker the actor (update: I see that others suggested this before I got here)
I think the urban dictionary is worthless. At least Wikipedia seems to be somewhat self-policing--not so the Urban Dictionary where people seem to put in all kinds of wild, unsubstantiated stuff.
(Of course my opinion isn't necessarily better than anyone else's.)
melissa bee - as long as it's under the table, yes.
@dennis: it's my favorite way to work.
Worst clue - Admission conduit
Best clue - Horse do
Mallet - Really, C.C., you should know the two main types of putters are mallet or blade. I belive if the shaft attaches from the side, it is a blade putter and if the shaft connects with the head from on top, it is a mallet putter. It appears from Google images that not all can agree on this, though.
A while back, some golfers tried using a mallet putter like you would use a croquet mallet; straddling the line of the putt and striking the ball from between their legs. It was outlawed eventually.
And two more animals:
Bat Masterson, western lawman
'Bobcat' Goldthwait, American comedian
Dennis, I'm not even really sure how to do it (post pictures that is)...I am pretty sure how to "do" everything else.
Carl:
Regarding tan lines...they are impressive, but I'd rather not have any at all. Back to buying whoppers and big fish tomorrow. Bummer.
c.c. Theophiloerectus was my imaginary mentor when I was a philosophy major at Ohio State. Theo was taken from various Greek philosophers and Philo from philosophy. Erectus was a malady I suffered during those years ('60's). (Be gentle, Sirens. I'm new to this game.)
Dennis: I love to hear you enjoy recent history. There is a great magazine called "Reminisce" published every other month and another called "Reminisce Extra" published the alternating months. Try www.reminisce.com for details. One story in this months issue starts, "Within a year's time, from 1933 to 1934, all of these fellow churchgoers in Loraine, Ohio became new mothers." There is a picture of ELEVEN women and their kids. That must have been a damnably COLD winter. All the articles are subscriber written. A GREAT READ. (To show you how my d.f. mind works, the phrase "a great read' is all done with the left hand.)
I must be off.
buckeye, great post, and thanks for the heads-up on the magazine; I'll definitely check it out.
And I suspect your last statement is correct.
@J.D. Missed your 12:59 post... sorry bout that. I was busy hacking up a furball over anon 11:15. I thought about a response of "anon 2:26" but bit my tongue.
@C.C. Same answer to your 1:00 pm but with a caveat. I think yesterday's responses surprised me and my reaction was "whoa"! I really didn't want to make matters worse so I waited until my thoughts had gelled somewhat. They were, afterall, only my thoughts and you certainly can't go online and Google those to see what was meant. Have I mentioned "Mad Cow" previously? And, I don't do "hot" emails but thanks for the invite. I kind of feel that if we can't all read them... I'm still a newbie... 'Nuff said.
Buckeye, Ohhhh, THAT'S what you meant!!! (then your very last sentence threw me off just a little)
buckeye, a great recommendation - I've subscribed to both. I'd recommend the magazines as well, to anyone who's a fellow near-dead.
Dennis, I am working on a picture but will get help with getting it on here. I will get help as I have a resident IT guy living with me :). I just don't have any recent photos, as I am usually the one taking the pictures or just forget the **&* camera!
BTW, thanks so much for the montage!! I really loved it, and am so grateful I was born after all that..our parents (some of us) had lots of "tough rows to hoe"!
carol, glad you enjoyed the montage. Can't imagine what our parents must've gone through; this current downturn would've been laughable to them. My parents both died while I was relatively young, so I never got to hear many of the stories, but the pictures certainly bring it home.
And should you need IT help, there's certainly a few of us on here with IT backgrounds that can provide assistance.
Carl @ 5:48pm,
What were you talking about??? I have NO intention to invite you to do "HOT" emails. You completely distorted my 1:00pm comment.
I bet everyone is sitting back and saying, "Whoa! I don't want to be the next person on." But, I've been known to put my foot where others are too smart to tread.
c.c.: I don't want to speak for Carl, but I thought his "Hot email" post was just a little bit of typical banter, wordplay on your original post and totally meant in jest.
We all need to remember that c.c. is a non-native English speaker and it may be more difficult for her to get the nuances at first.
Upon further research, the difference between a malllet putter and a blade putter is in the shape of the head. A blade is just that, long and narrow with a straught face. The mallet putter's head is one of those half-round, spaceship-looking things.
@clear ayes 4:43- no difference in the cornmeal. Some tips, though: when making, divide the liquid in half (low sodium chicken broth is best), add the cornmeal to the room temperature liquid so that it’s all incorporated and let soak for 5-7 minutes. Bring the other half of the liquid to the boil, lower to simmer, then SLOWLY add the tempered cornmeal. Stir until smooth and simmer over low heat until done. You may serve “as is” or add a good cheese for flavor (pecorino Romano or goat cheese are best). It can also be spread out on a cookie sheet and baked, then cut into shapes (squares, diamonds). These can be refrigerated or frozen and used later simply by baking them or pan frying them.
If you have any questions, just ask. I’ll be working all night and checking in to make sure everyone behaves (that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it).
(Father, forgive me for I have sinned…..)
So argyle, does that mean that the blade putter is circumcised and the mallet isn’t (I am going to hell for that, I know- I couldn’t let a softball like that go by)?
Clear Ayes et al,
Carl has clarified the HOT email issue. My misunderstanding. Now continue your bantering.
This is a putter?
xchefwalt: Thanks so much for the cornmeal tip. I copied/pasted it into my Documents recipe file. I'll give it a try on Thursday and let you know how it turns out.
People/animal names: KITTY Wells (county singer), Adam ANT (R & R singer) Eartha KITT ("Santa Baby" singer), Sheryl CROWE. I know the "E" is extra, but I'm trying. If you add literary characters, there's a goldmine: BEETLE Bailey (comic strip), RABBIT Angstrom (John Updike hero), SNAKE Pliskin (Escape From New York/ or L.A.), ROOSTER Cogburn (John Wayne rolls).
Dennis & c.c. Thanks to you both for your complimentary comments today. It is always nice to be accepted into a group so readily.
Argyle,
I've never seen such a strange looking Odyssey putter before.
Clear Ayes,
Thank you for stepping forward earlier.
Barb B: It's so sad to read about libraries closing. I'm a library "junkie." We're bucking the trend here in Fargo: we overwhelmingly approved a library referendum for two branches and a new central library, currently under construction. The branches are always very busy. It must be our long, cold winters!
Bea,
I'm glad Fargo supports libraries. Oregon has long, DARK winters, but we compete with Barnes and Noble and Borders, along with internet research.
Our own library came really close to closing our doors a few years ago when we lost two bond levies in two consecutive years. We were just about to the end of our contingency fund when the voters approved the third attempt.
We have to renew the levy every 4 - 5 years, and this is the year we vote again.
I have confidence this year, because we are offering tings that make us a little more attractive to people who are able to have a home library; for instance, we now get books before Amazon.com, and we have adult programs at least twice a month, and we're installing 8 new online computers. I shudder to think what our lower income families would do without a library.
Kitty Carlile, game show panelist
Goose Gossage, pitcher
Bill "Moose" Skowron, first baseman
"Ferret Face", Major Frank Burns / M*A*S*H*
and last, but not least
Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver
argyle, very nice, saving the best for last.
Nathan Bedford Forrest, founded the KKK. That's who Forrest Gump was named after.
@dennis
Thanks for the montage. Great stuff.
@ clear ayes 2:28pm
You may want to also check out "Live From Texas Stadium". He teamed up with Alan Jackson and George Strait for that one. Whether you're a country fan or not, it comes across as three "good ol boys" singing music they love with a lot of steel drum accompanyment. I especially like "It's Five O'clock Somewhere". The also have a cover of Steve Young/The Eagles "Seven Bridges Road" that is outstanding... kind of Soggy Bottom Boys southern depression era sound as in O Brother Where Art Thou.
btw... thanks for the intercept at 6:38; I really appreciated it. You get to the point sometimes where the hole only gets deeper no matter what you do. That's a good time to throw down the shovel and go get a drink! I had several... very good Barbados Rum... aged about seven years! Spent a couple of hours just lookin' up at the stars.
@all My 5:48 was totally innocent and needs no explanation. It wasn't even intended as "banter". The bottom line is: I detest email communication(personal quirk)and only use it as a necessary evil. I go days without even checking it. I also hate cell phones! I personally don't want to be that available to anybody. But, I do go on... blah, blah, blah!
@walt 4:07pm... I think the cat has done left 'da buildin'. It was a fun cat... too bad it wasn't quite as fast as that truck.
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