google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Monday, July 20, 2009 Robert W. Harris

Advertisements

Jul 20, 2009

Monday, July 20, 2009 Robert W. Harris

Theme: Giant Leap For Mankind

16A: 57-Across, 12-Down or 24-Down: ASTRONAUT

35A: Landing site of 7/20/1969: TRANQUILITY BASE

57A: 16-Across Neil: ARMSTRONG

12D: 16-Across Buzz: ALDRIN

24D: 16-Across Michael: COLLINS

42D: __ 11, mission celebrated in this puzzle: APOLLO

Bonus fill : 9D: 35-Across is on it: MOON. Where they landed. Its symmetrical partner EERO (53D: Architect Saarinen) is not part of the theme, hence bonus.

Argyle here.

It was forty years ago today when, at 02:56 UTC on July 21 (9:56pm CDT, July 20), 1969, Armstrong made his descent to the Moon's surface and spoke his famous line "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind". See this picture of the APOLLO 11 crew.

Across:

1A: Federal job safety org.: OSHA. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

15A: Early programming language: COBOL. Its name is an acronym for COmmon Business-Oriented Language.

18A: Secretly stock up on: HOARD.

19A: Wicker furniture maker: CANER.

20A: One of a crab's grabbers: PINCER. PINCERS pinch.

21A: Gaza Strip gp.: PLO. Palestine Liberation Organization. Hamas controls West Bank.

23A: TV kid "in the middle": MALCOLM. A sitcom on the Fox Network, the series was first broadcast on January 8, 2000, and ended its six-and-a-half-year run on May 14, 2006. Frankie Muniz as Malcolm. "Boss of Me Now", theme song by 'They Might Be Giants'. (Full Version)

26A: Sch. with a Providence campus: URI. University of Rhode Island. Hey, Dr. Dad.

27A: Holy, in Le Havre: SACRE. SACRE bleu!

32A: Dawdling type: DALLIER; 48A: More foamy, as soap: SUDSIER; 43D: More squarish: BOXIER.

40A: What bikinis expose, informally: TUMMIES. And 42A: Sit-up targets: ABS. On the beach.

41A: Informed about: IN ON.

45A: Yemen city: ADEN.

46A: Pretentious one: PSEUD. Shortened pseudointellectual: a person of fatuously earnest intellectual, artistic, or social pretensions.

47A: "The Tell-Tale Heart" author: POE.

51A: Naval noncom: Abbr.: CPO. Chief Petty Officer.

52A: Yoked beasts, collectively: OX TEAM.

56A: It's slightly larger than a quart: LITER.

61A: Ogles: LEERS.

62A: Asian desert: GOBI.

66A: Mother of Castor and Pollux: LEDA. LEDA's twin sons are famous for their fraternal affection and regarded as the protectors of persons at sea. LEDA is also mother of Helen of Troy.

Down:

1D: "...man __ mouse?": OR A.

3D: Wintertime drink: HOT COCOA.

4D: Gillette razor: ATRA. What would constructors do without this Gillette razor?

5D: Sleep disorder: APNEA.

6D: Oyster's gem: PEARL.

7D: __ de Cologne: EAU.

8D: Former fast flier, for short: SST.

10D: Beaded calculator: ABACUS.

11D: Bullring VIP: TORERO.

15D: Sweep's milieu: CHIMNEY. The environment or a setting for the worker cleaning your flue is the CHIMNEY.

17D: "Drinks are __": ON ME. Not heard often enough!

20D: Braids: PLAITS.

21D: Sibilant "Hey!": PSST.

25D: Hardy of Laurel and Hardy: OLLIE.

32D: Kind of bullet that expands on impact: DUMDUM. The Hague Convention prohibits the use in international warfare of DUMDUMS.

33D: Got ready to fire: AIMED.

34D: Score-producing stats: RBIS.

36D: Highly luminous cosmic objects: QUASARS. Quas(i-stell)ar.

37D: Often-amusing story: ANECDOTE. Don't take it for poison; there you need an antidote.

38D: Gazpacho, e.g.: SOUP.

39D: Within: Pref.: ENDO. Opposite ECTO.

44D: Part of a living room set: SETTEE.

46D: Methodist, e.g.: Abbr.: PROT. Methodist is one of the PROTestant churches.

49D: Poetry feet: IAMBS. Metrical feet.

50D: Borden mascot: ELSIE. Elsie, the cow, and family.

55D: Russia's __ Mountains: URAL.

57D: Part of USDA: Abbr.: AGR. United States Department of AGRiculture

58D: French king: ROI. The oldest son of a French ROI is called DAUPHIN.

60D: Coll. student's concern: GPA. Grade Point Average.

Answer grid.

Argyle

87 comments:

Dennis said...

Good morning, Arglye, C.C. and gang - typical Monday puzzle, with a timely theme. In fact, I only had one pause with this one, 'pseud', which Merriam defines as British-only usage. 'Dum-dum' is an old term for hollow-point bullets, which are outlawed in many, if not all states. 'COBOL' was a gimme, as that's the language I first learned as a young computer programmer.

Today is Moon Day (40th anniversary of Apollo 11), and Ugly Truck Day.

Today's Words of Wisdom: "Tomorrow I will haul down the flag of hypocrisy, I will devote my gray hairs to wine: My life's span has reached seventy, If I don't enjoy myself now, when shall I?" -- Poet Omar Khayyam, from the Rubaiyat

Today's Fun Facts:

- The body contains about four ounces of salt.

- The average human dream lasts two to three seconds.

Hahtoolah said...

I think we all knew that today's theme would be about the Moon Landing. It was an easy, but good Monday puzzle. Like Dennis, I, too, was a little stumped by PSEUD. Also, my first stab was for LITRE instead of the American spelling. Since EERO Saarinen is one of my favorite architects, I was quickly steered right.

So what, besides the Moon landing occurred today? This marks the 33rd Anniversary of the US Viking's landing on Mars.

On this date in 1979 (30th Anniversary), FEMA was created by executive order, later codified into law. FEMA, the bane of my existence, was established to handle disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

Zhouqin (C.C.) Burnikel said...

Dennis,
Agree. Very timely theme. Great one too. Wish EERO is NASA. Would be a great pair for MOON. I dream strange dreams sometimes, I can't believe they last that short. Live right here, right now sounds like your motto, no? Do you like Gazpacho SOUP?

Argyle,
Who is the girl on the TUMMIES/ABS picture? DUM DUM is a new word to me. Like Dennis, I cringe every time I see PSEUD. Don't mind it's clued as a prefix in this case. Thanks for the excellent write-up.

Zhouqin (C.C.) Burnikel said...

Argyle,
Rich Norris' maximum Sunday word count is actually 144. His limit for a themed weekday is 78, and 72 for a Saturday themeless.

Hahtool,
So happy to see you in blue now. I enjoy your additional "Today is..." information.

WM & Clear Ayes,
Those pictures are so pretty. Thanks for sharing.

Gloria,
Welcome! Hope you stay with us.

Zhouqin (C.C.) Burnikel said...

Al,
I didn't fully understand your DELIMIT explanation. But I sort of got your drift. You have amazing amount of OLIO information in your brain. Fascinating.

Crockett,
See this Wikipedia entry on Own/PWN & leetspeaks. Just an internet slang. O & P are adjacent to each other on the keyboard. Learned PWN from Barry G. Looks like WM PWNED "Den of Thieves" puzzle yesterday. Yes, I do remember your Torvill & Dean autographs. Also your Yogi Berra/Mickey Mantle encounter.

JD,
I love your daily "Reliving History" summary. Thank you so much for the effort. You make the blog Comments fun.

Dick said...

Good morning Argyle, C.C. and all, ...another typical Monday puzzle, easy, but interesting. Nice write up Argyle. The theme was certainly appropriate for today.

Only problem encountered today was when I carelessly put "Oman" for "Aden" 45A and this caused me to make 33D "aimat" which screwed up 48A and the story goes on. I finally found the error and resolved the remainder of the puzzle with ease.

Where were you 40 years ago today? I was glued to the TV set watching man's the first step on the moon.

Dennis said...

Live right here, right now sounds like your motto, no?

Yes, definitely. Seen too many lives cut short to live otherwise. I never wanna have to say, "if only I'd done that".

Hahtool, your avatar of a jellyfish reminds me of our anon friend. Totally spineless.

Hahtoolah said...

Dennis: OUCH! I love my photo of the jellyfish, but please do not think of me as spineless! Nor do I wish to be compared to Anon. In my tradition we have an expression called Lashon HaRa, translated as the "Evil Tongue."

The harm done by our words is even worse than the harm done by stealing or by cheating. The harm and hurt done by speech can never be repaired. Here is a parable about the Lashon HaRa: A man went about the community telling malicious lies about the rabbi. Later, he realized the wrong he had done, and began to feel remorse. He went to the rabbi and begged his forgiveness, saying he would do anything he could to make amends. The rabbi told the man, "Take a feather pillow, cut it open, and scatter the feathers to the winds." The man thought this was a strange request, but it was a simple enough task, and he did it gladly. When he returned to tell the rabbi that he had done it, the rabbi said, "Now, go and gather the all the feathers." The man said,"But I cannot!" One cannot repair the damage of words any more than one can gather all the feathers of a broken pillow. Once words have been spoken, they can never be recalled, and the harm done cannot be stopped.

Mainiac said...

Good Morning All,

I wrote Hollow for 32 down which drove me nuts for a bit and I couldn't remember the name of the landing site. Finally got Collins, erased Hollow and that little section filled in. Nice puzzle with an appropriate theme. I still have Walter Cronkite's reaction when I watch that footage.

We had a great weekend at camp. Saturday was rainy so we played board games and cribbage. Sunday was excellent. Kids and wife swam while I played lumberjack. Paying for it today.

Thanks Argyle.

Have a great day!

Jeanne said...

Morning all,
Appropriate puzzle for today. Cannot believe it’s 40 yrs. since the moon landing as I cannot believe we are just weeks away from our 40th wedding anniversary. My future husband and I were painting our first apartment and were watching on a small black and white TV. Thank goodness my eyes were better then or we would have missed it. Just something you will never forget or where you were when it happened. I can easily forget what I had for dinner last night-but will always remember where I was with the moon landing, Kennedy’s assassination, and 9/11. Let’s all create memories today.

Dennis said...

Hahtool, no, I certainly wasn't talking about you. As I said, the jellyfish picture reminded me of a spineless person, which reminded me of anon.

Otherwise, I like the jellyfish picture; I'm fascinated by all marine life, and have a reef tank in our house filled with various kinds of invertebrates.

windhover said...

Hahtool,
I know Dennis will speak for himself, but his comment was not directed to you. I understand it's your avatar, though and as such representing you.
If the story you related is representative of your "tradition", then it contains a great deal of wisdom. Please say more about it when and as you can. It is true that words have meaning; also true that evil is incarnate in many people, although it exists in degrees. What our most recent anon is doing with words directed at one who is very obviously a person of good character, our own Tarrajo, is of a relatively low degree, but evil nonetheless.
To Tarrajo I say: this will pass, and eventually you will laugh about it. Life is way too short to burn any anger at this banal evil idiot. Enjoy it.

Hahtoolah said...

Dennis:
Sorry for my tirade. I knew your words weren't directed towards me. I was just venting my annoyance and anger at Anon, for both his vitriolic attacks and his cowardly actions for failing to identify himself.

Argyle said...

Re: Who was that girl?

That came from hiphoprx.com and it is Melanie Brown, aka Mel B, aka Scary Spice, with her husband, Stephen Belafonte. It was shot at US Weekly’s Hot Bodies Pool Party at TAO Beach in Las Vegas on May 30, 2009. Another view

Argyle said...

Mainiac, thanks for reminding me I was going to look for a clip that included Walter Cronkite and the Apollo mission. There are quite a few, I found out. Here is a short clip

kazie said...

Good morning all. And thanks Argyle for another great blogging.

A nice easy Monday for me. Cobol was my only real problem, causing CHIMNEY to be the last fill, since I was thinking of sweeps as a sports term again.

Looks like a great day coming here in WI. after a rather too cool weekend.

Hahtool,
I enjoyed your parable. Good thoughts.

KittyB said...

Hmpf....I was ready to post and hit the wrong button and closed the window. I thought those days were past.

Good morning, all!

Argyle, another fine job. If you are interested in 'tummies,' you might want to watch "Burn Notice," on USA. It's set in Miami and the cameramen rarely miss a chance to provide footage of the itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie bikinis.

Dennis, I have someone's share of salt in addition to my own, I'm sure! I'm astounded that my dreams have only lasted three seconds. Some of them are so complex that it feels as though it's taken all night to get through them.

Hatool, thank you for the parable of Lashon HaRa. My fifth grade teacher told us a version of this parable. I've always pictured harsh words as musical notes leaving my mouth, never to be recaptured, spreading negativity over the land. This very wise teacher also talked to us about the difference between intending to do something, and actually doing it. "I MEANT to take the garbage out" was her example. Intentions are fine, as long as you follow through.

I thought that today I might complete a puzzle using across clues only. The top part of the puzzle fell in place as fast as i could read the clues. Eventually, I needed a little perp help to get SACRE, URI and LEDA started. I didn't know OLAN. I also tried for LITRE first, and hoped it would be HOTTODDY for 3D.

Forty years ago I was in summer school between my junior and senior years in college. I was glued to a TV set for most of the Apollo 11 mission, irritated that there were times I had to break away to go to class. I won't ever forget the first step on the moon.

Time to move forward. Have a good Monday!

Karen said...

Good morning all,
I've been away from the blog for a couple of weeks. Went out of town for July 4th weekend, got home late Sunday & left early Tuesday for Nags Head. Came back late Thursday & then, on Sunday, my husbands cousin came from KY to visit with us for a few days so I've been pretty busy. Also, on July 6th our local paper stopped using the LAT puzzle, so now I have to either do it online or print it off.

I missed what ever has been going on with Anon, so I'll have to go back & read the posts when I have time.

Today's puzzle was very easy for me. The only thing that gave me a problem was, like others, Pseud. Had
ENTO instead of ENDO for 39 D.

Hope everyone has a great day.

Anonymous said...

I thought this was a little harder than past Monday puzzles. I had to hit the g-spot for Tranquility base and got some perp help with cobol, PLO, Aden, iambs and roi. I never knew a dumdum was some kind of a bullet either. Unfortunately, the first moon landing was before my time so I can only imagine the awe the world must have felt at that bookmark in history.

Hahtool I enjoyed your feather story. So true. Hey all my blog friends…let’s not mention Anon again. He or she for some reason has targeted me and said some very hurtful things. However, I am not going to let someone I don’t even know cause me any angst. Like Dennis has said, life is too short, and I know in my heart I am a good person.

Dennis said...

KittyB, to me, the fact that dreams last for only a couple seconds but can be so involved and complex, gives some insight into the actual power of the brain. We use such a small percentage of its capability.

Karen, which paper stopped carrying the LAT puzzle? Also, I wouldn't waste my time going back to read the anon posts - they're just the typical cries for attention that we see here from time to time.

tarrajo, I'm glad you've seen the light regarding anon. He only gets off if he gets a response.

Dick said...

@ Argyle Scary Spice has a nice tattoo. :O'

moon said...

Started out well on the SJ mercury news until I realized that the entire right squares were missing. Went online to LA Times and restarted.
Did well until I hit a gaping hole in the middle. Never knew DUMDUM to be a bullet (DUMDUM used to be the airport in Calcutta, India), DALLIER or SUDSIER. For TUMMIES, I could only think of 'TAN LINE'.
Finally, could finish it in some 12mins without any help.
On the job front, the lay off happened on Thursday and I'm devastated. I know its not personal (my entire team has been affected) but I'm somehow not able to let go. Feeling inadequate! Couldnt do the Xword on Fri, Sat or Sun as I just couldnt concentrate. After 3 days of not eating and sleeping, I'm better today.
If any of you have gone through this phase, please share so that I get over this faster.
Appreciate all your support
-Moon on Moon Day :)

IRISH JIM said...

Good Morning CC Argyle and all.

Nice topical theme today and the usual good job by Argyle. Did not know Endo or Cpo.Cobol was also new to me.

In 1969 was not long in this country so did not own a TV. My roomate at the time used to kid and say we listened to the moon landing on color radio.

TaraJo, Everyone has been ignoring the best advice that was given when these trolls started infltrating the Blog. Ignore Ignore Ignore. Especially you.Do not pander to them by acknowledging them.
Noone has any right to be critical of anyone they do not know.You have no reason whatsoever to feel anything but proud of yourself.

Good Mon to all.

Jimmy S. Carolina

Kelev said...

Moon: I am so sorry to hear the the layoff did occur. I will keep you in my prayers for something new to come along soon.

danabw said...

Good morning all,
Like the others have said, another easy Monday to start the week. I needed it after last weeks ending.

Moon,
I am so sorry to hear about your job. You will receive a lot of advice on how to 'get over this'. The reality of it is that you have to allow yourself to mourn. Losing a job is similar to a death. Life as you have known it has come to an end.

The good news? This will pass and a great new chapter in your life is about to transpire. Take some time to do things during the day that you weren't able to do before.

Volunteer work is a great way to stay busy and to network. Think about all of things you enjoy doing and find a way to give back to the community while you're planning your next steps.

You are in my prayers and I hope you do celebrate Your Day today!

Also, YOU are not inadequate! Our economy is!!

Crockett1947 said...

Good morning, everyone!

Nice to have an Apollo 11 theme today. Argyle, nice write-up and links on a puzzle that didn't have much sparkle beyond the themed entries. Gazpacho is a favorite soup when I can find it on a menu. C.C., thank you for the pwn link. I never knew. I did know you'd remember, though!

@hahtool Good story and lesson.

@tarrajo Here, Here!

@moon Time to start making lemonade! You know you're a worthwhile individual and have marketable talents. Now your job is to get a job. It's a tough market, but just keep at it. You CAN do it!!

@irishjim Color radio? Love it!!

Dennis said...

moon, at a difficult time like this, it's really hard to be anything but depressed and mad. Everybody goes through that. But once you realize that neither of those emotions is gonna do you any good, and the only person that can make things better is you, you can start to focus on the endless possibilities in front of you. One door closing means another's open and waiting.

The above may sound cliched, but I'll tell ya, it's also very true.

Have you thought about your skill sets and just what it is that you'd like to do if you had the opportunity? Throw your thoughts out here - the more you network anywhere, the more you increase your chances for finding work quickly.

lois said...

Good morning Argyle, CC, et al., Great job, Argyle, as usual. You are awesome!

Fun puzzle and so glad to see one that celebrates the day on the actual day. It's hard to believe it was 40 yrs ago. I remember it well. Guess this should come as no surprise, but I was at Tx Tech and messing around w/my current boyfriend in his super super hot rod w/a big hood scoop. We stopped what we were doing to listen to the radio as history was being made on the moon. After a while, we went back to making our own history in that fabulous car. Ahhh yes, I remember it well...even his name. He matched his car perfectly. A very historical moment on many levels.

Now about the dreaming FF. Even tho' the AVG dream may last 2-3 seconds, I read somewhere that if you think the dream lasted about 20mins then it probably did. Most dreams occur during Stage 2 REM sleep which lasts 15-45 minutes, and are usually not about sex. (I have never been studied). What I find most interesting about dreaming is HOW people dream (blind people, deaf people),the interpretation of those dreams, and the theories on WHY people dream. That's some good stuff, Maynard!

Hahtool: loved the parable and live by it. I try to emphasize the positive in what I say to people (kids esp)i.e., instead of saying 'gee that was a stupid thing to do', I'd say, "you know better than that." Words do hurt.

We have company from Europe for a while. This should be an exciting week, ending w/an all out,'riot'ous
bachelorette party, limmo and hotel. Some kind of fun! VaBeach better call out for reinforcements. There will be no 'tranquility base' on this side of the Mississippi and may not be one left on the 'moon' after this week. Party on!

Tarrajo: I love your attitude. You rock!

kazie said...

Moon,
Very sorry to hear your news. The only good thing about it is that you are in lots of good company. It's a sad phase in our history, brought on by many different influences beyond your control. so the last thing you should be doing is blaming anything you did or could have done.

Like Crockett said, use the time to work on getting a job. Trawl the internet, get out and network, and be prepared for it to take a while, until the situation improves. My son has been laid off for a few months in AR, and sells plazma regularly to get some cash coming in, and is using the extra time to lose weight and stay fit.

Karen said...

Hi Dennis, Our local paper is The Daily Press.

Moon, Sorry to hear you lost your job. I'v been lucky & never lost one, but if I hadn't retired when I did, I would most likely have been let go aynway due to the economy & the type of business I was working for.

lois said...

Moon: I too am so sorry for you and will keep you in my prayers. The wise sages here have given you excellent advice already. I would just emphasize the power of positive thinking and hope you remember that it's NOT YOUR FAULT. You still have a lot of good to offer. I wish you well.

IRISH JIM said...

Moon, Had the awful experience of being fired in 1993 after 30 yrs. It was just prior to a severence package being announced. Boss was an AH and did not want me to get the package.
To make long story short I eventually got the severence package.
It took me a long time to get my self confidence back to where it should be. Look for support from your loved ones, keep a positive attitude and you will bounce back from this. Also remember you are not alone in this. There are many thousands of people in the same boat.
Best of luck to you. Will keep you in my prayers.

Jimmy, S. Carolina

Chris in LA said...

@ Hahtool:

Where y'at in LA? I'm on the Northshore. Nice to see someone else from the Great State of Louisiana on the blog!

Anonymous said...

Moon, I am very sorry to hear about the loss of your job. What kind of profession are you in? Like everyone else has said...in no way should you feel inadequate.
This economy sucks.

Irish Jim thanks for the kind words, and I laughed out loud at the color radio reference.

Lois, I just caught on about how your boyfriend at the time matched his super, super, hot rod....funny stuff, and you rock too!

Anonymous said...

Good morning everyone. What a pleasant puzzle today. I was up for it having read Time magazine's coverage, as well as the Naples Daily News coverage this morning.
I don't much like dallier. Sounds made-up.

Moon, very sorry to hear your news. It happens to the best of us. "What Color Is Your Parachute" suggests making appointments with everyone you know who has a job that is interesting to you. Ask questions about the job. Eventually it's supposed to lead to a job.
I decided not to teach any more, and using that technique I was hired as Director of Volunteers for the Denver Symphony. It was a great job, and much less stressful than teaching. (No stress really.) So hang in there, Moon.

Anonymous said...

What a great theme today. I got a little stuck in the middle for a minute or two, but managed to get everything done. DUMDUM was completely new to me.

Moon, I too am sorry to hear about your lost job. My husband went through two bouts of unemployment, and it was very difficult on the entire family. We would wake each morning and talk about how we were going to work at being positive all day. He had endless rejection, and was frequently told he was overqualified, which angered him no end when someone less than he would get the position. Looking back, we often find that the company went under, or it really wasn't right for him. Hindsight is 20/20 isn't it.

I will say he called each and every person he knew to meet for coffee or lunch. He frequently got his best information from some person he had never met or talked to before, but was willing to help him out. It was very inspiring in the end to see so many people that would take the time to help someone in his situation. He also had a group of men - the "Desperate House Husbands" that would meet weekly. That was a great group for him also.

Best to you, and keep connected. The worst thing you can do is remain isolated. Wish there was something we could do to help.

moon said...

Thank you all for your kind words.
I'm in software/QA with networking as my speciality
I'll use your advice to 'keep my chin up' and plod on.
Please continue praying for me.

Elissa said...

No problems with the puzzle today. Of course the theme answers were easy for those of us over 50. I watched the moon landing with my grandparents, who were born in 1900 and it lead to an incredible discussion of all the things that they had seen in their lifetime - cars, telephones, television, the move to widespread indoor plumbing and electricity. Just amazing.

I love gazpacho. It is the best use of tomatoes when the fruit on your plants is ripening faster than you think you can consume it. When my husband and I were traveling in southern Spain we realized gazpacho was a traditional Andalusian specialty. So we tried it at every restaurant that had it on the menu. Turns out there are a lot of terrific variations.

Moon: Good luck in your job search.

Hahtool's parable put me in mind of this: Is it worse to sin or to not repent a sin? It is worse to not repent, because one can sin in an instant, but not repenting is done in moments without end.

Clear Ayes said...

Good Morning All, Yesterday, Giorgio mentioned the inevitable and desirable use of perps. He was right, of course. I don't think anybody could, or would want to, finish a puzzle without their help. But it is fun to start a puzzle with either the Acrosses or Downs and see just how far you can go without having to go to a perp to complete it.

For me, Monday is the only day that I have even the slightest change of getting through without perp help. I did pretty well today. Starting Across, the only blanks I had were for
COBOL, DALLIER, PSEUD and OX TEAM (I had the OX, but not the team.)

It is extra fun to go back to the beginning to see what I have entered for the Down fills and complete my empty Acrosses.

I was sorry to hear about Moon's misfortune. Experience, education, age, location, and even luck have so much to do with when and where you will find a job. But, to my way of thinking, the biggest factor is determination. Don't allow yourself to believe that you won't be successful. Our economic times don't make a job search easy. Good luck to you.

Where was I on July 20, 1969? We had been visiting with the (ex) inlaws and watched the landing on TV. The most memorable part of the evening was driving through Los Angeles on our way home to Camarillo, about 30 miles to the north. People were honking their car horns and waving. Buildings that were closed for the night had turned on all their lights (hoping to be seen from the moon?) The feeling was one of great pride, camaraderie and accomplishment. We don't get many of those moments anymore.

melissa bee said...

good morning c.c., argyle and all,

i love a timely theme, and really appreciated this one. took a little longer than usual for a monday, a good kick-start for the week. got TRANQUILITY right away, needed perps for BASE. initiallly misread asian desert as dessert. oh. that's different.

c.c., great idea swapping EERO for NASA. i rarely think of things like that.

for any npr listeners, there is a great episode of 'radio lab' on sleep that includes interesting stuff about dreams. you can download the podcasts for free (this may change soon).

@buckeye: thx for filling in for me on the right/left observation, and please continue when you are so inclined .. i like your spin.

@moon: it may help to remember you are in good company. no one has escaped this economy unscathed - we're all in this together. much luck to you.

@hahtool & dennis: the monterey bay aquarium had a fantastic jellyfish exhibit, i could watch them for hours. their newest exhibit is seahorses, which i'm hoping to see soon. they have live webcams for some exhibits. any bay area people seen the sea horses yet?

Jazzbumpa said...

Hey gang -

Had a great day yesterday, and never had a chance to look at the puzzle. Lots of fine music from noon until 10:00.

The LW video taped BLUES FOR NATE. Very unlikely that it will go up on Youtube, but I'll see if I can find some way to share it.

Interesting puzzle today. Great theme, and I like the bonus. Along with some refreshing fills, the very banal SST, OREO, and APES. PSEUD as a stand alone word, just looks wrong.

Wouldn't if be a RIOT to LEER at the TUMMIES of a SUDSIER OX TEAM.
OK . . . Maybe not.

Granddaughters spending the day with us again. Gotta run.

Cheers!

Chickie said...

Hello All--I liked the Moon Landing Commemorative theme today. I finished the puzzle about as fast as I could write. I put in Pseud, but went to the dictionary to see if really is used as is and not an abbreviation. It is.

Moon: When my school closed due to enrollment issues, I was the only teacher at our school who was not hired by one of the other Principals in our district. Too many primary teachers and not enought openings. I had been in the district 16 years and was devestated. DanaBW said it all. You go through a grieving process and you have to understand that it is not you, but the circumstances, in this case the economy. Hang in there. It does get better and you have to make sure you don't sit home and brood. All the advice everyone has had today is all true so keep your chin up.

Kitty B: Be-u-ti-ful quilt!

Tarrajo: You go girl!

Hahtool: The Monterey Bay Aquarium here in California has had the most spectacular Jelly Fish display that I've ever seen. There were so many varieties in all sizes and colors that it is hard to believe that they are real animals living in a real place. they seem ethereal, perhaps they are.

Chickie said...

Sorry for the duplication of info on the Monterey Bay aquarium. CA and MelissaB posted while I was writing my comment.

WM said...

Morning all...Really enjoyed the puzzle and the theme became obvious fairly quickly. Like KittyB I immediately put in Hot Toddy and had to rethink it, I wasn't sure if ALDRIN had an E or and I, DALLIER held me up as did SUDSIER. Also started with LITRE, but then, I spell theatre with the re for some reason. Had only some of CHIMNEY and OBOL and stared it for awhile trying to fit in something for "Sweeps" month on TV then the light dawned...D'oh. We actaully have had a chimney sweep clean our chimney...he even came wearing a tall black hat! At least he didn't have small children to scramble up the chimney. We rarely use the fireplace anymore because they have too many "no burning" nights during the winter now...the cost of a fine is huge.

Hahtool...that was a wonderful parable. It made think of the Iago speech that ends "He who steals my purse steal trash: 'tis something, nothing:
Twas mine, 'tis his and has been slave to thousands;
But he that filches my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him
And makes me poor indeed.

Moon... so sad on your job, but other have given better advice than I can...I was always looking for jobs that interested me more than what I what was doing, especially when it wasn't enjoyable anymore...think about what you enjoy and see if it helps you to focus new possibilities. Best of luck and you know we all are rooting for you.

My father was a huge fan of anything having to do with space, so I know we were glued to the television...sad that I knew Armstrong and Aldrin, but need the perps for Collins.

KittyB...WOW! that is one extraodinary quilt...so dramatic! I love it!

Dennis do you think there is any connection between the Moon Day and ugly truck? A comment on the lunar vehicle maybe?

Definitely cooler and I hate the fact instead of painting, I have to run errands...BLEH :oP

Dick said...

@ Moon, sorry about your job loss. It is devastating, but I am sure you have a lot to contribute to the working world. You say you are into software/QA so I am sure there are opportunities for you. Be open minded and be sure to observe all of the openings that are out there including self employment. Keep positive as an interviewer becomes aware of attitudes very quickly and you want yours to be very positive. Good Luck!!

JD said...

Good morning CC, Argyle and all,

Moon, so sorry about the loss of your job. The group gave you really good advice which I cannot top.My new son-on-law from Wales has not yet found a real job since he's been here.. so hard, but he did find a group of CADs to link up with for support. In the meantime, he is putting together bikes, etc at Toys R Us.

Hatool, that was such a wise parable. Hope anon reads it.

Argyle, sometimes I forget that it is you on Mon. Great job. Enjoyed the link!

Jeanne, another cutie photo.. 9 months? Our 2nd grandbaby will be here on Fri. morning @ 7":30. We're soooo excited to see if it is a he or a she.

Melissa Bee, we went to see the sea horses and jellyfish last month. The jellyfish are so lovely and took many gorgeous photos. The sea horses, however, didn't photograph as well. When we were on Oahu last yr, we visited a place that raises seahorses. They had every kind and size you could imagine. At the end, we got to put our hands in the tank and let them grab ahold.

Kazie, chimney was my last fill also, as I did not know cobol. Because I had the p, pseud was a gimme, but dumdum was unknown. I guessed the beginning d.The only help I needed today ( besides perps) was the dictionary to look up sibilant.

Cooling off, only going to be 90 today. Off to help very PG daughter do errands.

carol said...

Hi gang, fun and easy Monday puzzle..no real hang-ups except for the nasty little "pseud"...I feel better knowing it is a British only usage.(Thanks Dennis:))

Moon, good advise has been given already and I cannot add too much more. My husband was laid off in 2001. He decided to go back to school and we started a business together, it has worked very well and he works out of our home. As has been said, when one door closes another opens. Give yourself time to gather your strengths and aim for what you feel you'd like best.

Lois - on emphasizing the positive: When hubby Joe was little and did something naughty his Mom would say "why did a nice boy like you do that?"
He said that really made him think.

Tarrajo...good for you on the anon decision! Glad you are finding some enjoyment in the time you have to yourself. What did you decide to do with LGJ's room?

KittyB said...

Moon, I know nothing about what makes a computer go, and very little about the software. Please help me out....what does QA stand for? And, have you told us what part of the world you call home? And, does the type of work you do require a large company, or

The collective advice that's been given to you is right on the money. It would be easy, in your present state of mind, to think that we have just been mouthing platitudes, but those of us who have gone through this can assure you that it's very good advice.

The best advice is to accept that YOU are fine. You are a successful computer networker, and you are going to put what you know to work.

That job will come, maybe from an unexpected direction, or at an unexpected time. Be open to the possibility of change. I was a teacher for 11 years. I was suffering a serious case of burn out when I met my husband. He needed some help with paperwork. I ended up taking some bookkeeping classes, and became the office for a newly started corporation.

You know we will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. We'll look for your posts.

Chickie, thanks! Actually my avatar is a design created with Electric Quilt. I have five variations on that theme that I made when I was looking for a background for my blog. My host created a fabulous design, but it was difficult for some people to read the posts, so we set the template aside.

Jerome said...

Nice write-up, Argyle.

What would constructors do without the Gillete razor, ATRA? Fall back on TARA, RAT A tat tat, and the awful, pro RATA.

5 and 14 across, and 5 and 6 down all cross eachother. If you monkey around with each entry you get APES, APES, AN APE, and APER.

I wonder if Buzz ALDRIN has ever been to a DR IN LA?

And MALCOLM, CALL MOM, now!

Dennis said...

eddyB, the trash can will appear on your post after you post it.

tfrank said...

Good afternoon, C.C. & all,

Moon, I feel for your loss. I had three periods of unemployment in my career. The first occured in 1976 when a large REIT, of which I was the CFO, went bankrupt. I was able to hang on for a few months, but the Trustee soon fired me on the logic that a money raiser was not needed by a bankrupt company. Coincidental with the bankruptcy, the SEC began an investigation of the company's officers to see if there had been any finagling ala Madhoff. There had not been, but the investigation dragged on for over a year, which meant I could not do any job searching until it was concluded. After about a year and a half, I was able to find a new job with another REIT in my home town of Jackson, MS.

During the next four years, my salary tripled, the company prospered, but one day, the CEO called me into his office and fired me, giving no reason, and made a generous severance settlement which allowed me to indulge my alcoholism for the next year.

I then took a job working as a financial consultant for my brother-in-law in S. Texas, who was a very successful petroleum geologist. After two years, the price of oil dropped from $40 per barrel (seems low now) to $10, and there went that job.

After a year or so, I decided to become self-employed as an insurance agent, selling life insurance, annuities and mutual funds. While I was an agent for a big company, I was essentially able to do what I wanted as long as I met certain production goals. This lasted until I decided to retire two years ago. Being my own boss was a very enjoyable experience.

My advice is the same as others have already given you, plus one more thing. If you drink or do drugs, get clean and sober immediately through AA or NA. IMO, you will not find a decent job if you are using mind altering substances. I could not, and my alcoholism caused me to waste several years of my life. Thanks to AA, I have been sober for 25 years.

I know how much you are hurting right now, but things will get better. I and all the other wonderful bloggers here will be pulling for you.

embien said...

6:26 today. No attempt was made to be fast as I savored the theme clues and fill, having been a space buff for years and years. How well I remember that day back in 1969 and the pride I felt as an American at that time (remember, there wasn't much to be proud of in those days).

@moon: I have been "downsized" when my entire engineering team was laid off (20 people) and have had two companies go bankrupt out from under me, so I know the feeling.

I was also the last Oregon employee for a company consolidating operations at the home office so I had the job of boxing everything up and shipping it back east. Then I worked out of my home for a couple of months (training my replacement in Rochester, NY) before receiving a final severance.

Since I've been through the process a few times, my first advice is to file immediately for unemployment compensation. Most folks don't realize that there is usually a waiting period and you can go several weeks with zero money coming in if you don't file right away (that's the way it was in Oregon, at least).

Finally, spend a lot of time spiffing up the old resume. Having been a hiring manager I can tell you that a poorly written resume is not the path to getting a new job. If I'm sitting there looking at a stack of 50 resumes, I'm only going to pick the top five or ten to even get a phone interview.

Lastly, don't let things get you down. Take advantage of this opportunity of some extra time to do some things you enjoy. A positive attitude will go a long way toward opening the next door in your journey.

Crockett1947 said...

@tfrank Wonderful words of advice and encouragement. Congratulations to you for being able to get on the straight and narrow and stay there.

@eddyB How do I add the Et symbol to the keyboard? What symbol are you looking for? I don't understand Et.

@embien Sage words as well.

#2

WM said...

Crockett...I heard back from my hockey friend and she still has everything, but she leaves for a short vacation on Wed...as soon as she returns she will send me the goalie photos...yea!

Dennis...loved the WoW today...that was exactly my thought as drove home from Oakland after losing my last job 3 years ago...if I don't paint now, I never will. And so, we tightened the proverbial belt so I didn't have to go back to work someplace other than my "studio" and the rest is history...I am also very lucky to have such a wonderful supportive husband.

Jazzbumpa said...

moon -
I have nothing to add to what has already been said, but count me among you supporters. You know it's the economy when a whole group is let go.

tfrank -
Thanks for sharing your career story and good advice with us.

I retired at the end of last year, and a big part of my motivation was that I couldn't anticipate being able to make a meaningful contribution going forward, because of all that was gong on in the company and the economy in general. I consider myself very lucky to have had that opportunity.

Hahtool -
Great parable!

Cheers!

Mainiac said...

Moon,

Having had the great fortune of working continuously since graduating high school, I can't add any personal experiences. But boy am I impressed with what this group has offered up! I will add my support to your effort.
Positive mental brain waves heading your way!

I'm blown away that we only contain four ounces of salt. I swear I put out 10 on my bike ride.

My dreams must last longer that three seconds. The wife says I babble on all night!!

Hope everyone has a great evening.

Barb B said...

Very good puzzle, and not too easy. Enough of a challenge to keep it interesting.

My step-dad worked on the Apollo Project, and project Mercury, and some others. He was always working in remote places, like White Sands, N.M., Gold Hill, NV, and Empalme, Sonorra, Mexico. He and Mom were able to meet the astronauts, and were very proud to know them. Their favorite was Bus Aldrin. I was a teen, and not very interested at all, unfortunately.

Moon on Moon Day
I see lots of very good advice and empathy here, and I don’t have much to add – just a little.

In my experience, no matter how devastating the experience is, something better always comes out of it. The process will go faster if you don’t fight it. Be fully present, as I think you are – the three days of not eating and not sleeping may be a necessary grieving process. Now, expect good things.

Hahtoolah said...

@ Chris at LA: The Red Stick.

Clear Ayes said...

This little poem is for Tarrajo and for anyone else who has been attacked unjustly. Remember that the person who is attacking you is not a person you know, or whose opinion you respect. Also remember that it is you who have the power, not the other way around. It is only when you relinquish that power that you allow the words of your attacker to affect you. When you retain your power, the assailant becomes insignificant and his words can be dismissed with a smile of pity.

The Power Of Words

'Tis a strange mystery, the power of words!
Life is in them, and death. A word can send
The crimson colour hurrying to the cheek.
Hurrying with many meanings; or can turn
The current cold and deadly to the heart.
Anger and fear are in them; grief and joy
Are on their sound; yet slight, impalpable:—
A word is but a breath of passing air.

- Letitia Elizabeth Landon, 1802-1838

JD said...

adding to Hahtool's history lesson:

1868- 1st used tax stamps on cigarettes

1871- British Columbia became Canada's 6th province

1881- Sitting Bull surrendered to the fed. troops

1917- WWI draft lottery was held

1944-US invaded Japanese-occupied Guam in WWII

1964- 1st surfin' record went #1- Jan & Dean's "Surf City"

1970- 1st baby born on Alcatraz island

Have a great evening!

eddyB said...

Hi Crockett1947. CC used it between WM and Clear Ayes at 608A and tfrank used it at 235P. The way people use it, probably means "and" or "Et Al". Would also like to to have the R in a circle and the C in a circle. But those can wait.

eddyB

Susie said...

Moon - I too have to weigh in on the lessons I learned.

Number 1 - sometimes the interviewer knew better than I did. Years ago I interviewed to work in a school that I was sure would be a perfect fit for me. I was very disappointed when the principal did not hire me. I was hired in another school and over the years as I worked at the district level with the interviewing principal I realized that he and I would never have gotten along. He was right not to hire me.

Number 2 - someone is watching out for us. Another time I interviewed with a principal that I knew would be very difficult to work for but I needed to accept the position. Between the time he hired me and the first day of the school year he was transferred to another building and I ended up with a wonderful principal and a great job.

So - in other words - keep an open mind as we don't always know what is right and how things will work out. And things will be okay.

WM said...

CA... what a terrific poem...pretty much nails it!

Jazz...I keep forgetting to mention how much I like the new avatar...it's so you! ;o)

Hahtool...the peacock is pretty, but the jellyfish is stunning...and restful.

Tarrajo...yea for you. You are now in a better place and have no reason to have to defend yourself...at all...anymore...so, begone foul anon...you have an ugly soul.

Just picked up my paintings from the Fair. Unfortunately no sales this year, but the award money was great compensation!

And before anyone asks...the temporary avatar is an Andy Warhol...I'm just not quite that good yet.

Argyle said...

& If this is what you are talking about, it is just the way the font produces the ampersand. What is weird is it doesn't look that way when I type it here in the comments but it looks like Et when it is published.

Luxor said...

Somebody actually knows how long a dream lasts. Hmmmm!

WM said...

Argyle...and THIS & is why you are so great at blogging the puzzle!

Luxor...good question...how do they know?

#3

Dennis said...

WM, I did some quick research after I posted that, and what I found is this: sleep researchers can tell, through sensors and monitoring physical and neurological reactions, when a person is dreaming. Probably a good thing they can't tell what they're dreaming.

Luxor said...

I'm looking for a trash can.

Luxor said...

None there.

Anonymous said...

Clearayes, you are a wise and wonderful person. Your poem was spot on.

Carol, Brady would never forgive me if I changed his room. One wall is purple two are gold...he's a die hard Vikings fan. All I did was go through the clothes that he doesn't fit in anymore and donated them.

Got a phone call from my Dad tonight and got to hear LGJ's voice. They are on a two night "guys" excursion which included a visit to the Sioux Locks. Brady described it as "God raising and lowering the water."
Just bit my tongue. I think you all know what I was alluding to.

Lois, I have been to quite a few bachelorette parties in my time and can honestly say that the "Mom" was never invited. To be so honored you must be the life of the party. I will be checking the news from VAbeach.

Made a big batch of spaghetti sauce and meatballs and my dinner guest had to bow out. I have to come up with an alternate plan to feed a few folks. At least it freezes well and LGJ loves my cooking. Missing him as you can tell.

Elissa said...

eddyb: To get the copyright symbol - © - in a Word document type Alt+Ctrl+c. To get the registered copyright symbol - ® - in a Word document type Alt+Ctrl+r. I highlighted, copied and pasted the symbols into the comments section. The Shortcut keys are for © Alt+0169 and for ® Alt+0174. There may be a way to type them here directly, but I don't know how to do that.

Al said...

@Luxor, I think you have to be blue to see the trash can, i.e. logged in with a google account.

@EddieB
™ is trademark: ™
® is registered: ®
© is copyright: ©

& is the ampersand if you want to show it instead of using it as above.

PJB-Chicago said...

Good evening, all. Nice, do-able puzzle today; I was a 6 year old "into" science when Aldrin et al made history. My mom & two (elder) sisters made a rare trip to Chicago today, & assured me that the whole family watched the TV coverage; I honestly don't remember anything—but watching the TV flashbacks gives me gooseflesh.

Moon, sorry to hear about the job: I've been there twice &l think the advice above is rock-solid; my saving grace was tapping into some local "job-loss" groups--my understanding is that similar groups have sprung up almost everywhere. Locally, groups are typically peer-led, meet weekly to share leads/strategies, & usually involve setting goals for the upcoming week . Here they're usually sponsored by churches/synagogues, but there's no preaching.
Cost here usually = a couple bucks (to pay for the "free" coffee!). Perhaps you'll find something similar in your area. We'll be rooting for you!

melissa bee said...

@jd: really? you saw the jellyfish just last month?? the website says the exhibit ended september 2008! i'm so glad, it's my favorite exhibit ever.

@luxor: may i ask why you are so inquisitive about deleting posts?

@all: just a reminder to check the batteries in your smoke detectors. i've had 2 close encounters with fire in the past week. the first time, i woke up in the middle of the night with my alarm clock literally on fire, a foot from my bed. the smoke alarm is what woke me. less than a week later, the suite my business moved out of weeks ago (we moved to another suite in the same building) burned down. fortunately it was in the middle of the night, and no one was there.

Argyle said...


®
©
&cool;

Anonymous said...

Once again I will try to reiterate what I tried to post before. It's good to see you rallying around Moon who needs the help instead of worrying about an immoral twit like Tarrajo. I am astounded by your moral support of someone that is obviously immoral.

JD said...

I'm not even gonna ask why you need those symbols on the blog?!?!

Luxor, lookin for Oscar?

Melissa Bee, we were there on our anniversary,June 14th. There was a whole area of different jellyfish. Later, we drove over to Salinas to "Wild Things", a sanctuary that provides homes for animals that are no longer able to "work" and a training facility. Animals are taken for walks and elephants will bring breakfast if you stay overnight. We never knew it existed.

Anonymous said...

Biting my tongue, biting my tongue...Dennis, et al, proud of me?

Melissa, my only experience with a jellyfish wasn't a good one. Being a midwesterner, and not knowing their "stinging" power I stepped on a live one in Vancouver. Hurt like the dickens.
I later saw a re-run of friends when Joey had to urinate on Monica's leg to get the "sting" out. That might have been a welcome relief as it stung for about an hour or so.

Anonymous said...

@luxor, no trash can for anony-mouse. Only those who sign in blue can see delete their posts.

WM said...

High-5 to Tarrajo...remember, ugly soul...you're doin' great.

#4

Anonymous said...

@luxor, I think you are the anony-mouse who constantly harasses Tarrajo.

PJB-Chicago said...

Two quick comments: (1) Dreams:
My eldest sister taught in a residential (state) school for deaf kids for over twenty years and says that deaf people do "talk" in their sleep, using sign language (some kids "voice,"as well).

(2) AIthough I am a guy, I've been to a few bachelorette parties in my time, too, doing a little stand-up comedy--when my ten minutes are done, they pay up, shove a couple Pesos in my shirt pocket (for a tip?),and send me on my way before the strippers show up! Never in eight years of higher education did I forsee being a warm up act for "naughty cops" and faux construction workers!
:-D

windhover said...

CC et al,
just got home from a funeral home visitation 100 miles from here, checked the blog to catch up on the days comments. The comments end with EddyB right after Jerome @1:43. What's up? Has the iPhone bugged out or the world ended, and like everything else it's happened last in Kentucky?
I reloaded, but got same result. Anon revenge?

Barb B said...

Windhover, there's a very long empty space in EddyB's post, as if he hit the space key 20 or 30 times.

Keep scrolling till you come to Dennis's post at 2:30

PJB-Chicago said...

Windhover: Blogger seems to get hung up often,at least on this browser—clearing the cache usually fixes it--I hope that helps!

windhover said...

BarbB,
Thanks, dear. Now could you come over and slap my forehead for me? I'll do the Homer Simpson D'oh myself.

I espe cially appreciate it because otherwise I would have missed the latest BAI* comment.

*Banal Anon Idiot

Martin said...

Hi. I didn't do the puzzle today so I'm commenting about yesterday's puzzle. I had BASIC for COBOL, APOLLO XI for ASTRONAUT and LITRE for LITER at first. What really slowed me down though was not knowing how to spell O-LAN.

NASA instead of EERO? The constructor may have wanted to try that except that there is no six letter word that begins with the first O in APOLLO and ends with NAM.

Martin