google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Thursday July 16, 2009 Jack McInturff

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Jul 16, 2009

Thursday July 16, 2009 Jack McInturff

Theme: WHAT'S THE SPREAD?

16A: Old-fashioned remedy for chest colds: MUSTARD PLASTER

26A: Rochester medical center: MAYO CLINIC

36A: "Black Bottom Stomp" jazz pianist: JELLY ROLL MORTON

43A: Lima variety: BUTTER BEAN

I was not aware of the MUSTARD PLASTER for chest colds remedy. MAYO CLINIC was a gimme of course. It's as Minnesota as 3M, Target, Best Buy & Spam. MAYO CLINIC's business has suffered greatly since Sept 11. Those rich Saudi emirs, sheiks and royal families used to fly there and spent tons of money on checks up (yeah, jewelries too).

JELLY ROLL MORTAN(1890-1941) was a total stranger to me. Wikipedia says he was from New Orleans and he was a pivotal figure in early jazz.

We had some discussions about lima bean & BUTTER BEAN on the blog a while ago. Here in our local grocery store, you can get frozen green lima beans and frozen cream colored BUTTER BEANS. They do taste similar.

Struggled today. I just could not get on the constructor's wavelength.

Across:

1A: Resort off Venezuela: ARUBA. Been under Dutch control since 1636. Before that, Spain's colony. ARUBA means "red gold", from Ore Ruba, Ore= gold, ruba=red.

6A: Astro's cap insignia: STAR. Alright, see Roger Clemens' cap.

10A: Witty sort: WAG

13A: Rodeo competitor: ROPER. Lassoer too.

14A: Novelist Bagnold: ENID. Author for "National Velvet".

15A: Basic language trio open: AMO. AMO, amas and AMAT. And I LOVE (30D: 15-Across, translated). I felt stupid struggling with the combo. I guess I need "Latin" hint for 15A.

19A: Ballpark souvenirs: YEARBOOKS. Yes indeed, though I am obsessed with bobbleheads now.

20A: Air: TUNE. Air is "a melody or tune, especially in the soprano or tenor range", says Dictionary.com.

21A: Comparative words: AS AN. Straight AS AN arrow, for example. I wanted THAN.

22A: Household nickname: SIS. My brother calls me Jie, Chinese for SIS.

23A: Marshlike: MIRY

32A: Golfer's traction aid: CLEAT. And NINE (49A: Course half). Many people golf with tennis shoes.

34A: Border on: ABUT. The answer seems to be always ABUT instead of EDGE.

35A: Pay closing: OLA. Payola. Nice clue.

40A: Gray's "The Bard", e.g.: ODE. Thomas Gray is the guy who wrote many elegies.

41A: __-mutuel: PARI. Type of betting. Learned from doing Xword. PARI is French for bet. Mutuel = mutual.

42A: Chutzpah: NERVE

48A: Not squander: USE

51A: __ proprietor: SOLE

53A: 1892 Leoncavallo opera: PAGLIACCI. No idea. PAGLIACCI is plural of Pagliacco, Italian for clown.

60A: Choreographer Reinking: ANN. Unknown figure to me.

61A: Heifetz's teacher: AUER. Stumped. I was unaware of the teacher/student relationship Leopold AUER and Jascha Heifetz. AUER is pronounced like "our".

62A: In concert: AS ONE

63A: Place for a ring: TOE. One of our relatives has a nose ring and a tongue ring. It's just not pretty.

64A: Gets faint: DIMS. Oh, light. I was thinking of swoon.

65A: Seed covering: TESTA. Or ARIL.

Down:

1D: College football's Black Knights: ARMY. I had no idea that the West Point sports team is called Black Knights.

2D: Lecherous sort: ROUE. Would you call Hugh Hefner a ROUE?

3D: "__-daisy!": UPS-A. Thought it's UPSY-daisy!

4D: Unwelcome exposure: BETRAYAL. Not the picture I had in mind. Excellent clue.

5D: Spirited horses: ARABS. Often see STEED clued as "Spirited horse".

6D: Arizona cultural resort: SEDONA. Wikipedia says it's named after SEDONA Miller Schnebly (1877–1950), the wife of the city's first postmaster, who was celebrated for her hospitality and industriousness. So pretty.

7D: Toll rd.: TNPK (Turnpike)

9D: Nutritional fig.: RDA

10D: '60s dance: WATUSI. I forgot. Clear Ayes mentioned this dance on the blog before I think.

11D: Call from the flock: AMEN

12D: He "used to be the next president": GORE. "Hi, I'm Al GORE, and I used to be the next president of the United States". He never really said he invented the internet.

17D: Knock around: ROAM. "Knock around" is a new phrase to me.

18D: English blue cheese: STILTON. Name after a village called STILTON where the cheese was first sold.

22D: Pond film: SCUM. D'oh, gunk. I thought it's a movie starred by a guy named Pond.

23D: Flipping burgers, e.g.: McJOB

24D: __ Diable: old penal colony site: ILE DU. Devil's Island. A "small part of the notorious French penal colony in French Guiana until 1952". Unknown to me. Diable is French for "devil".

25D: Subleased: RELET

27D: "Boola Boola" singer: YALIE. "Boola Boola" is Yale's football fighting song.

28D: On a slant: Abbr.: OBL. Oblique. Not a familiar abbr to me.

29D: Quasimodo's "our": NOTRE. French for "our". Quasimodo is from Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of NOTRE Dame". My favorite clue today. French for "we" is NOUS.

31D: Worked with wicker: CANED

33D: Work on a galley: TYPESET. Here is an old galley proof press.

37D: Like inverted Jenny stamps: RARE

38D: Poetic peeper: ORB. Just "eye" in poem.

39D: Prepare for a show: REHEARSE

44D: New Orleans university: TULANE. The Green Wave. Historian Douglas Brinkley used to teach here.

45D: Tees off: ANGERS. Of course. I "STARTS", thinking of the real golf "Tees off". Who do you think will win British Open? I figure our Jimmy in S Carolina will root for Padraig Harrington. Me too.

46D: Guitarist Lofgren: NILS. A member of Springsteen's E Street Band.

50D: Try to bite, kitten style: NIP AT

51D: Police jacket acronym: SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics)

52D: Speed skater who won "Dancing with the Stars": OHNO (Apolo). Read somewhere that this guy had a very rough past. I don't like man with a goatie.

53D: Spittoon user's sound: PTUI. Public spitting used to be socially acceptable in China. Disgusting.

55D: Corp. leaders: CEOS. Do you think Steve Jobs got a special treatment for his liver transplant? Do you think he should have?

56D: Defeatist's word: CAN'T

57D: It may be half-baked: IDEA

59D: Down: SAD. Thought of EAT first.

Answer grid.

C.C.

88 comments:

Dennis said...

Good morning, C.C. and gang - a bit late this morning; had a false alarm at the hobby store about an hour ago. Gotta love those early morning phone calls.

The puzzle gave me problems all over the place; got through without g-spotting, but boy, did I need perp help. Flat-out unknowns were 'Choreographer Reinking' and 'Heifetz's teacher', but there were many where I needed a bunch of letters to see the answer. I collected stamps as a kid, and sell them in the store, so I knew all about the inverted Jenny. First thing I look for when I appraise a collection.

I had upsy-daisy initially; never heard of upsa-daisy, but maybe that's just me. Also had 'ABC' at first for 'Basic language trio opener'. Jelly Roll Morton is one of the great jazz pianists. And 'betrayal' for 'Unwelcome exposure'? That just didn't click with me.

Clever theme.

Today is......ANYTHING YOU WANT IT TO BE!! Any suggestions?

Today's Words of Wisdom, simple but to the point: "I'm just the same age I've always been." -- Writer Carolyn Wells

Couple more Fun Facts:

- Sir Francis Bacon died of pneumonia. He was experimenting with freezing a chicken by stuffing it with snow.

- Shakespeare never attended a college or university.

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

Dennis,
Think of Valerie Plame's book: "Fair Game: My Life as a Spy, My BETRAL by the White House". She got an "Unwelcome exposure" by the ilks of Scooter Libby. Anything I want it to be? I want today to be Tuesday. You?

Anon @4:19pm.
Whoever you are, you've proved yourself to be a worthy opponent. Stay!

Barb B,
Vodka/caviar actually means love. I vodka you.

Jimmy in S Carolina,
Yeah, I caught Nick Price smoking. Nice RISE clue.

Hahtoolah said...

Morning, everyone! From yesterday's conversations, I just wanted to note that I echo the comments by the new posters. I, too, am new to this site. I stumbled upon when is was checking the g-spot and immediately recognized a place for stimulating and amusing conversation, while having fun with the puzzle. I'm running late this morning, as I have a long drive ahead of me on job-related matters. I'll squeeze in time at noon, I hope to complete today's puzzle.

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

WM,
Re: RISE. Did soufflé pop into your mind?

Argyle,
Out of all those definitions of RISE, you picked up defintion #51. Ho, Ho, Ho!

Carol,
Nice limericks.

Katy & Kelev,
Hope to hear from you regularly.

Bill,
Hmmm, blond. No objection from me. I missed your comments.

Crockett,
Yeah, I am 5'4". Boomer is 6'2".

Argyle said...

Hi There,

For those of us that don't know...
inverted Jenny stamp

Argyle said...

Since you mentioned it...

Ultimate low rise jeans?

Dennis said...

C.C., ok, the betrayal explanation makes sense now; thanks. And I'd make it 'Anything Goes Day'. For me, that'd involve a plane ticket. Why would you make it Tuesday??

And Argyle, I don't know where you find them, but thanks for the pics.

From yesterday: JD, that 'Seattle World Naked Bike Race' could be absolutely terrifying, depending on who you were riding behind. Of course, on the other hand.....there could be quite a bit of tailgating. Oh, and I loved "Mensas and us densas NEED perps, some more than others. I need a perp to get a perp, and maybe it will give me another perp." - nicely done.

Mama Ruth, good to see you again, and you're right - tarrajo did an excellent job with the definitions of our 'unique' words.

And C.C., thanks for posting a good picture of yourself - you look great!

Mainiac said...

Only finished this one with lots of red letter help. Lots of unknowns. and mistakes. Drives for tees off, Upsy and more. I couldn't sync with McInturff. McJOB?

Missed out yesterday due to a busy schedule. I did get to scan comments a bit and really liked the limericks. Thanks Carol.

Have a great day!

tfrank said...

Good Morning, C.C. and all,

Tough row to hoe this morning; got no traction in the top half; had to work from the bottom up. I had to come here for Ann, Auer and Ohno.

C.C., I understand that your blog is supposed to be non-political. If so, your use of Valerie Plame to illustrate betrayal went over the line, to my way of thinking. Her name is anathema to conservatives.

Back to the puzzle; I found the difficulty level about what to expect for a Thursday; just hard enough to be fun.

Thanks for all your hard work, C.C.

Jeanne said...

Morning all,

It has been awhile since I blogged but have been trying to keep up with the posts and all your wonderful comments. What a talented group we have. Congrats to Elissa and WM on your artistic achievements and Carol, wonderful limericks. I am always in awe of artistic talents and creative writings since I have none. Buckeye and Lois are in a league of their own with a BS in wit and creativity.

Been busy with guests, family, and not as much fun with computer problems. Had to reformat my laptop but have a new router and wireless booster so everything is good again.

Actually like today’s puzzle but had to put it down and come back to it. Bottom center was the tough spot for me and needed help to complete. Sedona is an absolutely beautiful city with gorgeous vistas everywhere you look. Who knew “rust” could be so stunning? It is a great place to sip a glass of wine at sunset and thoroughly enjoy your surroundings. We took hikes and jeep rides to get close to nature and appreciate it even more.

Have a great and creative day everyone.

Moon said...

Needed red letter help, few google trips to complete it. I did get the theme early on though. Problems: never heard of "Mustard Plaster". though I love mustard oil in my food.
What do I want the day to be?
"Everything will be all right" day.
Might get laid off today: have the talk with the director at 9am.
Over that, my laptop crashed and I cant log in.
Fingers crossed :)

Dennis said...

Moon, good luck. And remember, even if the worst happens, it just means there's something better out there for you.

Moon said...

Thank you Dennis. Reading your comments is one of the highlights of my day.
Will update tomorrow if I still have a job.

Mainiac said...

Where can I find the picture of CC that has been referred to?

Argyle, thankfully I don't have any daughters to worry about wearing those jeans.

On Earth Day a number of folks paint their bodies green and ride naked around the UMO Campus. It was quite a large group last year according to the press.

Elissa said...

I liked the theme of this puzzle but I can't say it really helped. I got MUSTARD and MAYO right away, so it revealed itself early to me.

With that said, that is about all I liked about this puzzle. Lots of names I didn't know, which I don't mind. But many bogus clues or answers - starting with cluing ARUBA as a resort - really? I might be persuaded with calling Sedona a resort, but . . . Then there was UPSA for 'upsy', MCJOB, PTUI. Are Arabian horses really called ARABS? And aren't golf shoes 'spikes' and baseball shoes CLEATs?

Maybe I'm still cranky, because it was HOT again yesterday.

kazie said...

Good morning all,
c.c.,
Very nice to see your true picture finally. I checked on the late postings last night, or I wouldn't have known about it. Noticed that many of our avatars weren't showing up then. Hope it's not just my computer.

I had to g'spot several today: ARUBA (didn't know it was off Venezuela), JELLY ROLL MORTON, PAGLIACCI, ANN, ARMY, JEENY STAMPS--had no idea what they were, and TULANE.

Much guessing and perp help elsewhere as well, though that's typical for me on Thursdays. Couldn't think how to verbalize spitting and got it through perps. Ugh!

For gets faint I was thinking swoons, but too long of course. Thought of TUB for TOE, but waited to see what would work. Also had UPSY for a while and ARAB took me way too long to get.

I liked AMO after I got it, but was expecting some computer language acronym unknown to me. Too many sports clues for me again today--course half, I thought: what has a course half and a smooth half? (Nail)file? I didn't get the theme at all until here.

On the rise thing from yesterday: a riddle:
What is the lightest thing on earth?

We called what we used to stay on our feet for an ice pantomime we had to dance in golf cleats. At that time in Oz I don't think anyone played baseball.

Moon,
Good luck today!

Jeanne,
Welcome back!

Anonymous said...

I liked the theme, and caught onto it fairly quickly, but still struggled with lots of the answers. They just weren't clicking with me today.

Moon, we will be thinking of you today. Hope it all goes well.

The tour of the Twin stadium under construction was awesome. It is a beautiful facility. Today we go through the new Minnesota Gopher stadium, which is for the most part complete. I hear the locker room is outstanding. I cannot wait.

The think what I want most to be today is NOT BUSY. I have too many tasks to get done (as always, I say yes to volunteering too much). On to write an article for our church newsletter that I have conveniently procrastinated on for too long. Due today!

Al said...

@Kazie, your heart, when you are happy? Or even a happy thought? Otherwise, mundanely, a hydrogen atom, a quark, or an electron...

Clear Ayes said...

Good Morning All, This was a challenging Thursday-level puzzle. It is a good thing that I knew about the WATUSI, because I sure needed a perp anchor to get AMO, TUNE and then AMEN.

I don't think I've ever seen TNPK or OBL.

Fortunately, I did know Ann Reinking. Before she was a choreographer, she was a protege of Bob Fosse and starred in Broadway revivals of Annie and Chicago and one of my favorites, the movie, All That Jazz. Everything Old Is New Again She was very well know for her great legs, which went on "for days".

Mainiac, click on C.C. profile and then on her "Ginger Roots" blog. There is a very attractive photo of C.C.

tfrank, We don't dwell on politics or religion, but they are mentioned once in a while. I think most of us already know who are the more conservative, or more liberal in our views. The same thing goes for religion. We have the devout all the way to atheist. It makes for some interesting comments.

I want today to be 85 degrees, but that ain't gonna happen. We are due for about 20 degrees hotter than that. Ah...July!!

Elissa said...

One more comment on the weather in the Bay Area - I was listening to the weather report, hoping for good news. The prediction is for highs ranging from the high 60s to the low 90s. Isn't that helpful. We have what are called 'micro-climates'. For people on the coast and in the East Bay and further inland, they can be sure they are on the extremes. For those of us in the middle - on any given day it could go either way.

I'm hoping for the best. I'm working on creating new scarves to resupply the inventory for another show and the dyes react so differently when the weather is hot. They dry too fast for a lot of techniques I
employ.

Well, I'm off to sort books with the Friends of the Library.

Anonymous said...

Struggle, struggle, struggle….I had to hit the g-spot the second day in the row for Jelly Roll Morton and Pagliacci. Got plenty of perp help with Enid, tune, ode, Ann, auer, Ile Du, and icky Ptui. My favorite clues today were ‘call from the flock” – Amen and “pay closing” – ola. I learned a new definition of wags – witty sort We sure have a lot of “wags” on this blog. Never having been to a professional ball game I never knew yearbooks were ball park souvenirs. I only knew of yearbooks coming from high school. I have all four years of mine. I too thought it was “upsy” daisy. Anyone know the origin of that saying?

Al said...

@terrajo, here's the straight dope (Cecil Adams)on xxx-a-Daisy

Anonymous said...

Good morning, all.
Yes, it's nice to see C.C. (Maybe Carol can make one of her wonderful limericks out of that!)

I greatly dislike miry. If it's a word, it shouldn't be. And I agree with the comments about upsa. I'm sure it's wrong because it doesn't rhyme with daisy, which most sayings for kids do. I knew Pagliacci, but spelled it wrong.

The Mac rep figured out why we can't use my new b'day iPod in the house. Need a new router. It did work in any hot spot. but not here.

It seems, for us, a day to spend money day.
Cheers.

Anonymous said...

P.S. I just checked my online dictionary and it does define miry. So I'm wrong, but I still don't like it. It surely is not a word I shall add to my vocabulary.

July 16, 2009 10:59 AM

treefrog said...

Morning Gang,
Enjoyed catching up on yesterday's evening posts. This group is so much fun. Such a variety of interests.

I enjoyed today's puzzle. Didn't kike TNPK,UPSA,or MIRY. Had a DOH moment with ARABS.The JELLY ROLL was easy,I screwed up and put down MORGAN. Took a bit to figure that out.
Didn't know AUER and had to check the spelling of PAGLIACCI. I thought MCJOB was funny.

Yesterday was payday for hubby. No one was called in for 'a talk'. Means he has a job for another 2 weeks. It's become a joke around there.

CC-I am also 5'4" and Dick is 6'1". It's real interesting when we go for a walk. I either run or he walks at a snail's pace!!

Weather is supposed to hit 100 today. No yard work for me. Will stay inside and sew.

Have a great one all.

treefrog said...

Oops, should have previewed. I meant I didn't LIKE ----
Sorry.

WM said...

Quick good morning...have already been busy this morning and have a lot to do today...appt to get to then about an hour break and a mural meeting at 1 pm...yes, it is getting close.

CA...thank you for the info, and that is why I am posting now...C.C. you are adorable, charming and svelt of figure. It is wonderful to have a face to put to your brilliance. Thank you so much for sharing.

For Embien, the avatar is Michael Chiarello from last night. Great fun!

Try to catch up later...bugger of a puzzle!

Luxor said...

Where's a picture of C.C. ? I would like to see it.

Anonymous said...

Luxor go onto C.C.'s profile click on ginger roots blogspot and there she is.

Jazzbumpa said...

Hi gang -
For me, another day to hope the weather cooperates for an outdoor concert. Touch and go last night, but it cleared up just in time and we had a beautiful evening.

Nice cross of REHEARSAL with n concert. Wow - JELLY ROLL MORTON! Loved the theme. Was eating peanut butter on a toasted whole wheat english muffin (sans jelly - never gave it a thought) as I solved it.

Thought I was finished, but got here and realized I didn't have the first two of 23A filled in. MIRY. MCJOB. Was never going to get those anyway. I guess if you can find it in some dictionary, it's considered fair game. I respectfully disagree. ILE DU. That one UPSAd me. In an otherwise terrific puzzle, that section is a BETRAYAL.

Speaking of which, tfrank, it takes major cojones to call out C.C. on her own blog. I'm impressed. Sort of.

Hefner is clearly lecherous, and leads a sensuous life that some would consider immoral. Don't know if he's dissipated. So, on balance, I'd say he's a ROUE. Certainly wouldn't want to see any of my granddaughters end up at a place like his mansion.

Cheers!

Barb B said...

Love the theme today. One of the rare times I actually got it early enough to help me out. Guessed MUSTARD PLASTER and BUTTERBEAN easily.

I didn’t grok MCJOB until I read CC’s blog. I vodka you too, CC.

I googled UPSA DAISY and was prompted ‘Did you mean UPSY DAISY?

I’ve visited SEDONA. It is said to have four energy vortexes. In the spiritual sense, a vortex is a powerful spiral current of energy, causing a vacuum in the center. Many people find that an energy vortex boosts prayer, meditation and healing.

Things seem distorted in vortexes. In Scott’s Valley Calif and Gold Hill OR, the ground never appears level; people seem to shrink or grow taller, depending on where they stand. In Sachsahuaman, Peru, the Incas built a stone circle around the center of the vortex, on level ground. If you sit in the center, your voice echoes back to you, even though there are no walls or mountains around you.

Other vortex sites are the Great Pyramid in Egypt, Stonehenge, Superstition Mountains, Grand Canyon, and Mt Shasta, Calif. Some are not even recognized, but you might see tree bark growing in a spiral pattern, suggesting a vortex. I have no idea what causes them.

Moon, I wish you well. Treefrog, good news, two weeks at a time. Could be worse, I guess, but it must be stressful.

Jeanne, it’s good to see you again.

Elissa, I’m happy to see that you’re a friend of the library. The library where I work employs six people, and there are about 100 volunteers, give or take. Guess who does most of the work? Thank you for all your help.

Kelev said...

I could quickly fill in the TULANE clue since I'm in New Orleans. I loved the puzzle today - just the right amount of a challenge. I knew WATUSI straight away, but was hesitant to write it down because it seemed so obscure.

It is pouring rain here. We get very nervous now with heavy rains. Katrina is still too close for comfort.

Hazmatwillie said...

Wholly concur with Clear Ayes about Ann Renking. I don't know her personally, but after she got too old to land those great dancing roles on B'Way and movies, she put her talent to excellent use teaching others. Every year she comes to our aree - Tampa Bay - and conducts free of charge, master's classes for promising young dancers. A real classy lady.

Elissa said...

Carol@11:18: I'm 5'4" and my husband is 6'2", but he is a stroller and I'm a 'power' walker, so when we walk together I'm the one that has to slow down, or if I'm not paying attention, turn around and go back to him.

carol said...

Hi all - First I want to say thanks to C.C. for posting her picture! How nice to be able to 'see' you. So cute and so bright...quite an exceptional combination!

I had to work at the puzzle a little more than usual on a Thursday. I had to peek at some of the answer too. I still do not understand 19A 'Yearbooks' - I agree with Tarrajo, they mean high school to me too. But I have never been to a major (or minor) league game either.
11D was my favorite: Call from the flock (AMEN). That one had me going for a long time. So did 35A: Pay closing.
Also agree on 'upsy' daisy...don't like 'upsa'..the 'whoops' was cute and I do vaguely remember hearing that.

Sallie, I did do a limerick for C.C. yesterday.

Moon, hope all is well...if not, another door will open. You can always find support here.

Jeanne, nice to see you back. Stick around.

Mainac, your boys are really cute and beware, they will be VERY interested in those jeans soon, if not already!

Hello to Mama Ruth, Kelev and Katy...stay with us, we won't bite (hard)

Jeanne said...

@BarbB, I am sure you treat your volunteers kindly. I volunteered at our local library branch for over two years and would occasionally have to return books in the children’s section. Because of the very low shelving, that was never want I wanted to do on a regular basis. Then somehow that was where I was assigned. Knees and back would really bother me after a three-hour stint. Mentioned that I wanted to be reassigned, they didn’t, so I quit. Went back after a few months, and I was never assigned to the children’s section again. My motto is be kind to the volunteers or lose them.

JimmyB said...

I thought today's puzzle was a bit harder than the usual Thursday. I had a few "aha" moments, and learned something new (ROUE and AIR) but too many answers relied on being on the same wavelength as the constructor. MIRY, PTUI, and UPSA just seemed kind of lame to me.

C.C. thanks for the photo. You look just like how I expected: smart and sassy!

Jerome said...

This is a very ambitious puzzle today. It takes a brave heart to place JELLYROLLMORTON in the center of a grid with MAYOCLINIC just above it and BUTTERBEAN just below. That in itself is a challenge to fill. I enjoyed the unusual black square placement as well.

50 down- NIP AT. For all you golfers, backwards that's a TAP IN.
It also crosses the golf course NINE.

Fun stuff- UPSA, PTUI, MCJOB, and WATUSI.

The Random House Unabridged Dictionary is the most respected source for words to a majority of crossword editors.

treefrog said...

BarbB-I've been to the vortex in Gold Hill twice. In '86 and about '90. I find it plays tricks with my head. I get motion sickness.
That was when I had balance. Since the brain tumor in '01 my balance sucks. I'll pass on the vortex!

Sounds like you're all keeping busy today. I'm making progress on my sewing.

Barb B said...

Jeanne – I think that’s a life lesson about people – be kind, or lose them. Of course there are exceptions, but I can’t understand why anyone is surprised when people back away them after they’ve been unappreciated. Doh.
Expecting someone to work in painful situations is either cruel or stupid, probably both.
Libraries are made up mostly of volunteers; even the library board is made up of volunteers, and I can’t imagine why they stick with it, but I’m grateful. We let our volunteers find their own levels. All of them are required to start with shelving, but as we get familiar with their abilities, things just naturally work themselves out and they find other jobs they may be more talented for. Book covering, (my area) book repair, display boards, traffic control (during summer reading weeks), picture taking for events, book sales, furniture repair and shelf installation, maintenance, etc, etc, etc. Everyone has something they feel they do better than others, and we put them to work and praise them.
I visited the library in Florence OR, and was delighted to know that two men take sanding blocks to library and clean the text blocks of books to keep them free of dirt and stains. There is also a woman who makes beautiful stuffed toys by hand and donates them to the children’s library where they are proudly displayed.
It is generally a fun, positive place to work.

Treefog, I think I’d pass too, under the circumstances. I remember reading that many people feel light-headed in a vortex.

Do you still have the brain tumor? My niece had surgery in 2002 and is still fighting, although further surgery would do more harm than good. My sister named her Rebel, and when she was little, we told her she had asked for all the trouble with that name. Now we see it from a different perspective.

Anonymous said...

Good afternoon, everyone. Since we're talking about differences in spouses, I'll add that my first husband was 6'3" and I am 5'2". Present husband is 6". I think we short women manage to get the tall men; at least I have noticed that frequently.
In a wedding picture of my first wedding, my father, my mother, and I were all the same 5'2" and groom stood out most amazingly. My sons are both 6", so it's lucky they didn't take after me.

Dennis said...

Dammit, where are all the 3' women??

Yes, yes, I know - right to hell.

Mainiac said...

CC, Excellent picture!!

Dennis, Your link went to a page that changes so I couldn't find the video.

Carol, It has started. My oldest has gotten his feelings hurt a few times so has backed off a little. The youngest.....well let's just say I continually keep his ego in check.

Have a great evening.

Jeannie said...

Dennis, the same place your 4" thumbs are...

embien said...

12:29 today. Enjoyable puzzle, by and large, with a nice, silky theme. I'm not a big fan of MIRY or the ILE DU crossing partial, and agree that golf shoes have spikes, and not CLEATs.

My last fill was the "A" at the crossing of UPSA and YEARBOOKS. I've never encountered a YEARBOOK at a ballpark, but we don't have a major league team in Portland, so maybe that's the reason.

I'll give the puzzle a "B"--not a favorite, but far, far better than Wednesday's GIB mess.

While you all were debating whether my post on "perps" was a tirade or merely a statement of my opinion (I certainly felt it was the latter, rather than the former), I was enjoying a steak au poivre at a French bistro and a fine bottle of Oregon pinot noir from Coeur de Terre.

Sorry I missed the big brouhaha.

Thanks @WM for the Michael Chiarello. I'm sure it was a wonderful experience, and I genuinely envy you your Bottega meal.

Valerie Plame anathema to conservatives? News to me.

Chickie said...

Hello All--I managed to finish the whole puzzle with only a couple of g-spots for Jelly Roll Morton--didn't know last name. also didn't know Heifetz's teacher. I found the puzzle fun as I got the theme early on.

Mustard Plaster was one of my first fills. My girls got croupe every time they had a cold. If one had a cold, the others got it! Our GP, Old fashioned to the core, had me treat them with home made mustard plasters. I'd line them up on their little chairs in front of the TV with a dish of ice cream and paste on the plaster. They'd sit, eat ice cream, and cry until their little chests began to turn red. The plasters really seemed to help but I couldn't help crying right along with them most times.

Have a lovely day everyone. It is cooler today, now that I have the jamming done!

Chickie said...

It is so nice to put a face to your name, C.C.

Katy and Kelev, stay with us. I have had such a warm welcome to this site. I know you will, too.

Moon, I'm sending good thoughts your way.

WoHoo! Our two tickets to the Antiques Roadshow were in our mailbox just now. The show is Aug. 15th here in San Jose. We have been working on what to take with us for appraisal. My husband said I could take him as he is my antique!

embien said...

As it happens, I dropped off my donation to the Friends of the Library today. Anyone in Oregon should do this (or find another qualified charity), as Oregonians have the luxury of a 100% tax credit for matching donations to the Oregon Cultural Trust.

Yes, 100% tax credit. That means it costs you nothing for the matching donation (and you still get your charitable deduction for your Friends contribution). The only problem is that the credit is limited to $1000 (joint return), which may limit some contributors. Still, a $1000 tax credit is nothing to be sneezed at (Oregon taxpayers only).

JD said...

Good afternoon CC and all,

Hi Jeanne, precious picture of grandchild.We'll have a new one in a week. Nice to hear from you!

The puzzle was a bit harder today, so in between gardening, I kept returning to see if my brain would pop out new answers.Lots of unknown people, and even though I watched Apolo dance, I did not remember his 1st name.I'm sure stilton was a gimme for WM, and Pagliacci for CA. I knew neither.

I thought SWAT should have been FLAK. I disagree with NOT squander being use. To not squander would be to save or keep, no??

Loved "ptui!" and McJob..both fun!
Do I sound shallow? I actually cringe over the stuff I don't know, like pari-mutuel. Should I know this?

I do know that I do not consider Aruba a resort. It is a flat riverless, windy, rugged,sandy place covered with Divi Divi trees, cacti, goats and HUGE iguanas.The ocean is beautiful ON ONE SIDE only.Divers love it. I'm a snorkeler, and can do that anywhere.
Now Sedona is a quaint arty beeyooteeful place;they've named their rock formations,ex: "Snoopy" Also, the Grand Canyon is close enough for a day visit.

BarbB , that was very interesting information on vortexes. Didn't know about Scott's Valley.

Argyle, what year is that inverted Jenny stamp? I have not looked at my collection in years, and I have my FIL's too.

Al, good info on upsa-daisy.thanks

Anyone else singin'"Boola Boola"??? not good!

Lovely picture, CC. I'm envious of your little bitty frame, and, of course, your inquisitive mind.

JD said...

What's up? I just had to read those stupid squiggly letters TWICE?
boola boola, boola boola....

KittyB said...

Good afternoon, all.

My morning was spent with my Mother, and I didn't get to the puzzle until this afternoon.

tfrank, I don't believe I would classify C.C.'s use of Valerie Plame as a political discussion. It was merely an example of how the phrase "unwelcome exposure" could be used to define BETRAYAL.

Moon, welcome to the group. It's good to have you here. I hope that you got your wish for "Everything will be alright" day, and that we will see you tomorrow.

treefrog...I send the same good wishes to you and your husband. May those two-week extensions go on for years and years!

I seemed to be channeling Mr. McInturff as I did this puzzle. There were only three words that gave me a tough time (and their perps, of course). ILEDU escaped me because I generally read about Devil's Island in English. I really wish the crossword editors would adopt an ENGLISH ONLY policy.

I had difficulty spelling PaGliacci, so ANGERS was slow to fill in, and I didn't know AUER.

I agree with Elissa on UPSA, MCJOB and PTUI, and Sally on MIRY (I won't be adding it either, Sally). I didn't actually get the theme, but the theme answers came easily. Tarrajo, I didn't know about YEARBOOKS, either, but the perps filled it in for me.

Clear Ayes, I loved the link to "Everything..." I do love "All That Jazz," and "Chicago." I hope you get a break in the heat soon.

Hazmatwillie, welcome to the crowd! Ann Reinking may be known as the premier teacher of Bob Fosse's choreography, now. It's cool to know that she's generous with her knowledge and talent. Wasn't the clip from "All That Jazz" great?

BarbB, I doubt that many people understand just how difficult it is to run a library. I applaud you for all that you do!

C.C....how nice to see your picture! Will there be one with Boomer?

I know this was terribly long, but I don't know if I'll be back today. I wish you all a great evening.

kazie said...

Barb B,
Interesting info on vortexes. Thanks.

Welcome to the newest newbies too.

Clear Ayes,
What have you done with your picture?

On the rise thing from yesterday: a riddle:
What is the lightest thing on earth?
:
Since Al was the only one who tried to answer, I'll divulge it now, in all its DF'ness:
Al was close on his guess of a happy thought. It's a penis, since it rises just on thought.

Clear Ayes said...

Oops, I didn't even notice the picture was gone. I guess I deleted it in error, but it should be back now.

Hazmatwillie, So nice to hear about what a nice person Ann Reinking is.

Kazie...LOL, riddle, what a naughty girl you are!

Hope everything went well for Moon today.

Argyle said...

The Inverted Jenny (or Jenny Invert) is a United States postage stamp first issued on May 10, 1918, in which the image of the Curtiss JN-4 airplane (Jenny) in the center of the design was accidentally printed upside-down. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Jerome said...

KittyB- "I really wish the crossword editors would adopt an ENGLISH ONLY policy" My god! Banning words that aren't English! I suppose it hasn't occurred to you that the puzzles we discuss on this site are published by the LOS ANGELES TIMES.

IRISH JIM said...

Good evening CC and all.

Late post today. Too much golf on TV and beach.

Breezed along until bottom half and got stumped. Like Treefrog Had to look up spelling of Pagliacci.

McJob although I liked the clue it threw me off and also Miry for 23A.
Course half 49a also stumped me.

Jelly Roll Morton came to my feeble brain I know not from where.
As Dennis said, no idea what I had for breakfast but out pops this name . Go figure the mind.

Will root for Harrington but dont have much confidence as he has not been playing well. How about a 59 year old , Tom Watson, only 1 shot off the lead. There is hope for all of us aged would be golfers.

Jimmy, S.Carolina

IRISH JIM said...

CC,

Just checked the "ginger roots"

So young and so pretty. Thanks for sharing.

"The wonder was that on small head could carry all she knew"

Ca where does that quote come from.

Jimmy S.Carolina

Anonymous said...

CC asked in her puzzle write-up if Apple cofounder/CEO Steve Jobs.got preferential treatment with his liver transplant,which is a fair question widely discussed in the press. I'm actually on the liver transplant list myself,and have worked on a transplant team at regional transplant center. The bottom-ine answer is that nobody gets special treatment in regard to the transplant list. Go to unos.org to learn how organ transplantation is handled. Livers are assigned on a national basis, according to severity of liver disease, immunological factors, and ability to tolerate/survive a transplant. Any hospital or surgeon who violated the criteria would face ethics charges & lose their certification to transplant.
Does he get better treatment post-transplant? Yes, that's where fame/cash help.
I'm sure he got better food, too, than you or I would! Please do consider being an organ donor: your organs can benefit dozens of people upon your death: (discuss with your family,PCP & attorney first).
Meanwhile, enjoy life to the hilt & pray your doctor never yells "UPSY DAISY" while handling you or your organs!

p.s. I often lurk here, comment rarely, & do so under my blogger name, but prefer to not discuss my sorry liver here. It's a topic I find boooooring.
Hepato-"perp-atologist"

KittyB said...

Jerome, from the simple mind of a densa...

I have a smattering of French, a smattering of German, a smattering of Italian, a bit more of Spanish, more Latin, and a fair amount of English. What is making me complain is that it feels as though puzzle constructors are moving beyond the normal amount of foreign words in our vocabularies to answers that require more familiarity with languages other than English.

I am embarrassed that I am not bi-lingual, but even if I was, I STILL wouldn't have enough language to answer all the clues that are popping up now.

I;m able to answer a lot of the clues, but ILEDU...TWO words (run together, no less) in another language, seem to be an unreasonable expectation. I'd be happy with clues that stick to more commonly known foreign words, but where do you draw the line? So, I opted for ENGLISH ONLY.

Yeah...I get the irony of it being published in the LATimes.

carol said...

Argyle, interesting about the Jenny stamps at 24 cents....a huge price then, but that was due to WW1. The price in 1917 was 3 cents, and in 1919 it was 2 cents (go figure why it went down a penny) and it stayed at that price until 1932. (Please note this really was WAY before my time) :) The price did not get up to 25 cents until April of 1988!

Chickie, my Mom used to spread Vicks Vapo-rub on one of my Dad's handkerchief's (yes, men carried handkerchief's in those days) and fold it around one of his old socks and pin it in place around our necks. This was the 'cure' for sore throats, stuffy noses and any other bothersome nasal problems.

We are in the midst of a heat wave...anyone out there remember that song? Heat Wave. It was by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas..I can still see us dancing, sigh. Also another oldie I loved for this time of year was by The Lovin' Spoonful but don't know the exact title but lyrics included: "hot time summer in the city, back of my neck gettin' pretty gritty". And the all time summer favorite (at least of mine): Mungo Jerry and "In the Summertime".

Anonymous said...

For once, I got the theme which I liked. Did not know Ile du diablo or several of the names. Miry must be an old English word because it appears in the King James version of the Bible several times. "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings." Psalm 40:2

Moon, I hope that not only today but the days to follow will be "everything will be alright day."

Dot

Clear Ayes said...

Irish Jim, You clever fellow, getting me to display the talents of an Irish poet. As (I'm sure you know), this poem was written by Oliver Goldsmith, who was born in County Longford, Ireland in 1730, or 1731. Not only was he a talented poet, he also wrote novels and plays.

The Village Schoolmaster

Beside yon straggling fence that skirts the way
With blossom'd furze unprofitably gay,
There, in his noisy mansion, skill'd to rule,
The village master taught his little school;
A man severe he was, and stern to view,
I knew him well, and every truant knew;
Well had the boding tremblers learn'd to trace
The days disasters in his morning face;
Full well they laugh'd with counterfeited glee,
At all his jokes, for many a joke had he:
Full well the busy whisper, circling round,
Convey'd the dismal tidings when he frown'd:
Yet he was kind; or if severe in aught,
The love he bore to learning was in fault.
The village all declar'd how much he knew;
'Twas certain he could write, and cipher too:
Lands he could measure, terms and tides presage,
And e'en the story ran that he could gauge.
In arguing too, the parson own'd his skill,
For e'en though vanquish'd he could argue still;
While words of learned length and thund'ring sound
Amazed the gazing rustics rang'd around;
And still they gaz'd and still the wonder grew,
That one small head could carry all he knew.
But past is all his fame. The very spot
Where many a time he triumph'd is forgot.

Dennis said...

Ah, Heat Wave, my favorite oldie, along with Dancing in the Street; when they came on when we were at any drive-in restaurant, we'd all get out of our cars and dance. Great times.

Summer in the City is the name of that Lovin Spoonful song.

JD said...

Reliving History;

1439- Kissing was banned in England
Would love to know the story
behind that!

1769- Father Serra founded Mission San Diego Mission, the 1st of many

1887- "shoeless" Joe Jackson was
born. "Say it ain't so, Joe"

1911- Ginger Rogers birthday

1935- 1st automatic parking meter installed in the U.S. @ Oklahoma City

1945- 1st atomic bomb detonated in New Mexico

1956- last Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus held under a tent.

1969- Apollo 11 was launched carrying 11 men to the Moon

Windhover said...

Hello All,
Looks like it's time for the Windhover " recent moment in history" lesson again. Today's topic is the Valerie Plame affair, which is destined to be a footnote in someone's future treatise on the treasonous behavior of certain members of the Bush-Cheney administration. Ms, Plame, by all accounts, was a hard working undercover operative serving her country in the Central intelligence Agency (lower case intended), who was publicly and intentionally "outed" in an attempt to discredit her husband, a relatively low-level bureaucrat who had enraged some highly placed Bushies by actually telling the truth. (End of lesson)

TFrank:
there are a number of demagogues and liars afoot in the country styling themselves as "conservatives". Among them are Rush, Sean, and Bill. To this group, anathema is the quality mentioned above, namely, truth.

I am making no assumption that you are part of or subscribe to the views of that group. Conservatism is a an honorable political perspective. But commentators of any stripe who use the word "liberal" as a slur are neither honest nor conservative. They are, as stated above, demagogues and liars, and a threat to our country.
And, to me, anathema.

carol said...

Ah, Dennis: Dancing in the Street was another huge fav....thanks, and we DID dance in the streets whenever the tune played on the old car radio! Turn it up, and out we went. What fun! Such good spontaneous times!

CA: great poem!!!

Hepato-"perp-atologist" (7:55) How to respond to a comment like yours, except to say that I am down as a donor. I wish you all the best, it is beyond me how one copes with being on a waiting list.

carol said...

JD: kissing was banned then in the hopes that it would stop the black plague that was spreading at that time...it did not help at all.

IRISH JIM said...

CA, I did not remember until shortly after I posted. Thanks for the poem. Learned quite a lot of poetry at school which sometimes comes back to me. Still cant remember what I had for breakfast !!!!

windhover said...

Hope to, in the words of Kenny Wayne Shepherd, put a little Blue on Black. Blogger got the wrong Email, had to sign in manually.
By the way, move along folks , nothing happening here. Rant's over. Everyone can go shopping now.

Jerome said...

KittyB- All editors have 'Specification Sheets' which outline what they like and don't like to see in a puzzle. In the LAT spec sheet Rich Norris says, "Keep foreign words to a minimum..." This is standard policy with editors. As it should be.

ILEDU is not thrilling stuff. But in context of the phrase in its entirety many people are familiar with the term... and it is a Thursday puzzle. You probably wouldn't see it in a Monday.

JD said...

I'm getting closer to finding out about the no kissing law.

Anonymous said...

Hey all...back from soccer and got LGJ settled in his room reading a book and believe it or not...listening to The Rolling Stones. Can't quite figure it out...might be my influence. For all you "Stoners" out there it's Tattoo You. Brady got two goals and two assists tonight. They won the game 6-3. I think we are seeing a pattern here. My zucchini continue to produce. I just made two more loaves of Chickie's bread. One to take to work, and one to "bribe" some he-men to help me with some yard work that neither LGJ and I know how to attempt. I think Sierra's dad might be the target as her Mom doesn't bake or cook for that matter.

Dennis, ILMAO at the 3' comment, and Jeannie, your comeback was right on...4" thumbs, where are THEY?

JD said...

FF about kissing:

Science of kissing is called philematology

On average a human will spend up to 2 wks kissing in his/her lifetime.

Anc. Egyptians never kissed with mouth, kissed with noses( I thought that was the Eskimo)

The Chinese didn't kiss until the practice was introduced by Westerners and they're still not very keen about it. ( and I thought it was a natural thing to do)

You burn 26 calories for a 1 min. kiss.

In Naples,Italy in the 16th cen, kissing was an offence that carried the DEATH PENALTY!!!!

JD said...

Ok, this is the last one..

In some places kissing is a crime in the USA: it's illegal in Indiana for a moustached man to "habitually kiss human beings" while in Hartford, Connecticut it's illegal for a husband to kiss his wife on Sunday, and in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, it's a crime to kiss a stranger.

Hahtoolah said...

I finally had a moment to do the puzzle. I had difficulty with the Northwest corner, but everything else fell into place.

Moon, I hope everything goes well for you and you didn't get laid off. Things are very tense in a lot of places with cut backs and all.

Mainiac, your name clicked with your reference to UMO. That's my alma mater; I did my undergraduate work there back in the dark ages. Is it still called UMO? I thought there was a name change a few years back. Anyway, the town is often a crossword clue, and I always know the answer!

It's been a long day for me with a lot of driving, but I couldn't turn in without finishing today's puzzle.

Luxor said...

Thanx anonymous. She looks younger than I expected.

Kelev said...

Terrajo: just ignor anon. He/she isn't worth it. Please know you have friends here and we care about you and want to hear from you.

Chickie said...

Carol, Vicks vapo-rub was in my Mom's medicine cabinet, too. But the mustard plasters couldn't be left on for too long (about 20 minutes tops)or they would blister the skin. They really burned--therefore the crying (and pleading to take it off) and me crying right along with them and saying, "NO".

CA, lovely poem today. I'm glad to see you have your picture back.

For rise, how about High_________?
Could be used for Monday or Tuesday puzzle.

Clear Ayes said...

Lucky Chickie, to have tickets to the Antiques Roadshow. I hope you have a fabulous treasure to bring along. Keep us posted.

Windhover, Thank you for expressing your (and others) view.

Anon@7:55 Very interesting information about transplants. It takes so little effort to put a "donor dot" on your driver's license, I'm surprised more people don't do it. I wish you good luck with waiting for your match-up.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Kelev, I saw it and it hurt. I feel good in my heart for what I have accomplished and am extremely proud of my son. I know I have a great group of support here on this blog. Welcome to the fold. When will we see you in blue?

Barb B said...

Gee, Windhover, how do you REALLY feel? Lol

JD, that was a LOT of research. Thanks 2 weeks doesn’t seem like that long, all things considered. Geez, why did so many people hate kissing, I wonder?

Dennis said...

Windhover, you really need to stop mincing words.

Regarding organ donating, I've done it for 50+ years.

Barb B, I'm with you - kissing's seriously underrated.

windhover said...

Dennis & BarbB,
I thought my comments were very mild, considering.
What really needs mincing is Rush. All that Oxy (hillbilly heroin here in Ky) ought to be out of his system by now, unless he's found some new docs.
I will heed your gentle comments, though, and show some restraint. Till the next one.

Jeannie said...

Windhover, perhaps you have too much rain and your hay is too wet to move. I have a crane that might be able to help you come oh, Monday. Saturday and most of probably Sunday it'll be tied up in one way or another. There are crops to be reaped and/or sowed here in MN as well.

Jeannie said...

I must be getting slow Dennis...you too as you didn't catch my 4" thumb retort. Organ donating for 50+ years...you are showing your age darlin'

PJB-Chicago said...

OK, I'm late again! Puzzle was "very Thursday" for me—some real brain-twisters, some shiny fill, and a grid that looks (if you squint) like two people dancing, maybe the watusi! Loved the limericks & discussions—great to read,—lots to think about; y'all never fail to make solving even more enjoyable & life much richer, so t-h-a-n-k-s!

In 1986-87,I taught Engish in France, in a school built during Napoleon's rule, and not really updated since that time! We had old-style blackboards and chalk, which I was forever dropping.
Habits die hard, right?, so when the chalk shattered on the ground, I'd often say "whoopsy daisy!" One day, one kid raised his hand & asked me: "Mister, please, how is 'hhoogsy-das-zey' written?"

Shocked and appalled, I realized that I had NO clue at all, and I wrote something like "oopsie-daisey" on the board; fast forward a couple weeks, I overheard some of them playing ball in the courtyard, speaking French but yelling "hoopsah-daze" each time they missed a point!

Lesson learned: never say anything in front of the kids that you can't spell!-—-G'night,all!

WM said...

I'll post even later than PJB tonight. Very busy day and won't go into the puzzle as everything has been covered. Just thought I would cover some random cheese info about Stilton.

It is considered the King of British cheeses and actually can't be made in Stilton. In 1936 it was granted the equivalent of the French AOC(Apellation Origine Controllee) which means that to carry the label of Stilton, it must exactly follow the specified recipe and be made in one of 3 Shires...Derbyshire, Leicestershire,and Nottinghamshire. Stilton must be made from pasteurized milk, although Randolph Hodgson from Neal's Yard Dairy has been working with a cheesemaker from Quenby Hall(thought to be the origin of the cheese) and they are now producing a raw milk version that they call Stichelton, as it cannot use the Stilton name. When I worked for Neal's Yard, we were able to taste the progress of the cheese as it was developed and it had great potential...I haven't tasted the final product but it must be magnificent. NYD sold what I think is the best Stilton in England...Colston Basset. At its best it is a rich and luscious cheese that pairs well with port and dried fruits and nuts...the winter cheeses made from summer milk are awesome.

And to C.C. believe it or not, I never actually thought of a souffle, though it is one of my favorite quickie dinners, along with a green salad and french bread.

And for Embien...the Michael Chiarello event was wonderful, lots of great food, they poured a 2007 Zin from his vineyard and we got to meet his wife and the lady who runs the vineyard...we watched the Top Chef Masters episode that he won and had a lively discussion before and after as he shared info on the episode. He was very charming and quite funny. The event also raised money for the Alameda Food Bank...so a total win-win situation. As they say...a good time was had by all. :o)

Katy said...

My favorite clue was McJob. I still didn't get it -- emcee job? -- until enlightened by Wikipedia:

McJob is slang for a low-paying, low-prestige job that requires few skills and offers very little chance of intracompany advancement.

The term "McJob" was added to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary in 2003, over the objections of McDonald's.

This high school librarian's gotta admit she loves Wikipedia. Just hope none of her students are reading this blog...