google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Tuesday, May 7, 2013 Jack McInturff

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May 7, 2013

Tuesday, May 7, 2013 Jack McInturff

Theme: Live Wire? - Three endings with a loose electrical connection.

20A. Defend a position : STAND ONE'S GROUND

33A. Walk-off home run, often : TIE BREAKER. It has to be in the bottom of the last inning.

40A. Explodes with rage : BLOWS A FUSE

47A. With "The," PBS show for kids, and a hint to the ends of 20-, 33- and 40-Across : ELECTRIC COMPANY

Argyle here. Although the theme is current, much of the fill is dated.

Across:

1. Help for the poor : ALMS

5. Buffalo bunches : HERDS. Strange visual.

10. Florida resort, familiarly : BOCA. (Boca Raton)

14. Quick look : PEEP

15. German sub : U-BOAT. The E-boat was a torpedo boat on top of the water.

16. Cowardly Lion actor : LAHR

17. Old Sinclair Oil rival : ESSO

18. "Throw __ From the Train" : MOMMA. 1987, with Danny DeVito and Billy Crystal.


19. Soap Box Derby state : OHIO. Where in Ohio, you ask. 28D. Soap Box Derby city : AKRON

23. Bind with a band : GIRD. They used to GIRD their loins a lot in days of old.

24. Pinup's leg : GAM

25. Water under the bridge : STREAM

28. One in a church chorus? : AMEN

30. Brit. fliers : RAF. (Royal Air Force)

35. Horne of jazz : LENA. The Lady Is A Tramp - Words and Music, 1948

36. Metallic mixture : ALLOY

37. Homie : BRO. Homie is a shortened version of homeboy, homeboy being your close friend. Bro is someone like a brother to you, relatively speaking.

38. Honda compact : CIVIC

39. Fast-talking : GLIB

42. PC panic button : ESC. Oh?

43. Rounded hammer end : PEEN

44. Filled flapjack-like food : CRÊPES

45. Assist : AID

46. Bow-toting deity : EROS

55. Put in cargo : LADE

56. Swashbuckler Flynn : ERROL

57. Space : AREA

58. Prepare, as rice : BOIL (From C.C. to Jayce: What are your favorite congee ingredients and toppings? I wonder slow cooker will be more effective rather than boiling them forever.)

59. Petty : SMALL

60. Swed. neighbor : NORW. Sweden/Norway

61. "The Thin Man" terrier : ASTA

62. Tones down : TAMES

63. Before long : SOON. The end.

Down:

1. "Tarzan" characters : APES

2. "__ we forget" : LEST

3. Colorado's __ Verde National Park : MESA


4. Toon fry cook in The Krusty Krab restaurant : SPONGEBOB. Full name, SpongeBob SquarePants.

5. "Just go along with what I said" : "HUMOR ME"

6. WWII investment : E BOND

7. "When in __ ..." : ROME. "... do as the Romans do" - Saint Ambrose

8. River projects : DAMS

9. Walk drunkenly : STAGGER

10. Come into one's own : BLOOM

11. Hawaii's most populous island : OAHU

12. Stubble spot : CHIN

13. Yankee slugger, familiarly : A-ROD

21. Bridget Jones's book : DIARY. 2001 British romantic comedy film.

22. Was on the ballot : RAN

25. __ fright : STAGE

26. Cultivates : TILLS

27. Thing of the past : RELIC

29. Ask for Friskies, maybe : [MEOW!]

30. Accelerate, as an engine : REV UP

31. Licorice-flavored seed : ANISE

32. Stands up to : FACES

34. Competent : ABLE

35. Cradle-to-grave stretches : LIFE SPANS

38. Billiards bounce : CAROM

40. Doctor's advice : BED REST

41. Uses a mouse wheel : SCROLLS

43. Poe's "The __ and the Pendulum" : PIT

45. Amtrak speedster : ACELA. A made-up word.

46. Pierre's school : ÉCOLE

47. Isle off Tuscany : ELBA

48. Cambodia neighbor : LAOS

49. Revise copy : EDIT

50. "Joy of Cooking" writer Rombauer : IRMA

51. Study all night : CRAM

52. Suffix with buck : AROO

53. Emperor after Claudius I : NERO

54. Show fatigue : YAWN. Sums it up well.


Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Here are four pictures of Kazie's pretty granddaughter Lea, who will be visiting Kazie in June. Lea's favorite thing to do now is roll over.



78 comments:

fermatprime said...

Hello, all!

Thanks for a nice Tuesday offering, Jack, and good write-up, Argyle!

Cute theme! Would have liked PEEk for QUICK LOOK, rather than PEEP.

Am going to watch Foyle's War again. Especially like the female lead.

I caught the last few episodes of The Bletchley Circle. Wish I had known about it sooner. Great show! One of the stars was Rachael Stirling, who is the daughter of Diana Rigg! (Found this out looking up the review of the latest Dr. Who. Both women were in it.)

Finished reading the latest Hamish MacBeth mystery. Thought it was excellent!

Two nights of May showers here. First one pretty vigorous!

Cute pictures, Kazie!

Cheers!

fermatprime said...

Actually, The Bletchley Circle only had 3 episodes. So I guess I caught them all. (Was looking up the speling.)

Barry G. said...

Morning, all!

Fun, quick puzzle. I originally tried TAMES instead of TILLS for 26D, so it was weird to later see TAMES at 62A.

I agree wholeheartedly with fermatprime about PEEK/PEEP. Maybe it's a regional thing, but where I come from PEEP is strictly used to describe a sound. Seeing as how this is a Tuesday, it's odd the constructor chose to clue it this way (assuming it is even a variant definition in the first place).

[ignisly]

Barry G. said...

And after a quick look at the dictionary for PEEP...

Never mind. ^_^

Argyle said...

Well, we have Peeping Toms and eyes are called peepers, so I'm good with PEEP.

Hahtoolah said...

Kazie: I forgot to mention the adorable photos you your granddaughter.

Hahtoolah said...

Good Morning Argyle and friends. i really enjoy Mr. McInturff's puzzles.

My favorite clue was Buffalo Bunches = HERDS.

QOD: Nothing is more surprising than the easiness with which the many are governed by the few. ~ David Hume (May 7, 1711 ~ Aug. 25, 1776)

thehondohurricane said...


Good day everyone,

I was on the PEEK side too, but SPONGE BOB corrected my thinking. 52D buckAROO...... never can decide if EROO or AROO is proper so I let the perps decide.

Only nit was 60a NORW. Given a choice I would have gone with NOR.

Otherwise, a enjoyable Tuesday romp. Thanks Jack.


Yellowrocks said...

What Thumper said. Yesterday's puzzle proved that easy does not have to mean mundane. I'm with Argyle's (YAWN) comment.
NORW is an unusual abbreviation.
Argyle @5:51 Right on! There is also a PEEPhole in a construction fence. We use PEEP quite often.
Link Jeepers Creepers
Buffalo reminds me of this quip. "She's so cheap she squeezes a nickel until the buffalo poops."

Dudley said...

Hello Puzzlers -

Piece of cake. Having never seen a single episode of SpongeBob, I let the perps figure that one out. The Electric Company is/was within my horizon, though. As I recall it was on right after Sesame Street.

Cheers All

Montana said...

This was the fastest puzzle I have ever completed. Only word I didn’t know was ECOLE and perps filled it in. I was pleasantly surprised as I sped right through the puzzle.

I am off to a Governor’s Conference on Aging, for the next two days. Never been to one, so it will be a new experience. They have it in different parts of our state each year and this year it is only 70 miles from me, so not too much travel.

Have a good week, everyone,

Montana

HeartRx said...

Good morning Argyle, C.C. et al.

Hand up for wanting PEEk before PEEP, but SPONGEBOB made the choice for me. I learned "Walk-off home run" recently, and thought it had to be in the bottom of the ninth inning. But now I know it's the last inning - which could be the 10th, 11th, etc. Thanks for helping imprint that definition on my brain, Argyle.

Fun theme, and easy top to bottom solve. I appreciate seeing well-used fill like IRMA, LAHR, LENA, ERROL, ASTA - they help make a puzzle early-week friendly and make me think I am smarter than I am!

Have a fun day everyone!

Anony Mouse said...

Thank you Jack MacInturff for a nice and easy puzzle. Restores confidence in myself - and the human race . lol. Thank you Argyle, for your lucid explanations, and corollary, re: peep. I put in Peek, then saw SpongeBob, whom I finally recognized, then put in Peep, - but did not like it. But as you explained, Peep is routinely used as an alternative to peek.

Thought of Dennis, at Boca.

Girding one's loins, can sometimes cause serious circulatory problems.

Indian crepes are called Dosa(s) or Dosai. Common in south India. Masala Dosa is a dosa with potato filling.

The Soap Box Derby, in Akron, OH, has had its ups and downs. I have watched one of them, long ago. The problem is that youngsters, and their PARENTS (who build the cars - ) have lost their motivation (and skills ) for mechanical assembly. You can buy the entire car, as a kit, but you still have to put it together. But what do you do with it, after the race ? It has no engine and moves strictly by gravity. The race also lost its financial sponsorship, but now its back, albeit as a low keyed affair.

Have a nice day, you all.

Mari said...

Nice, easy puzzle today.

I too went with PEEK, and I first tried STOW instead of LADE on 55A. I also went with mAmma instead of mOmma. Throw Momma From the Train is a funny movie. I remember seeing it in the theater way back when.

My East Coast bosses take the Acela. Same line as Amtrak, but faster trains.

Buffalo Bunches reminds me of this.

Cute baby! Have a great day everybody.

TTP said...

Thank you Jack and thank you Argyle. I enjoyed it.

If you wanna get in trouble fast, call him SquareBob SpongePants in front of one or more of his younger fans. This I know from personal experience.

I have "Joy of Cooking." Great aid but exhaustively detailed, with more links than Wikipedia. "Boil (pg 60) the seasoned water (pg 470) in a pot (pg 11) on the gas stove top (pg 37), electric range (pg 39) or over the campfire (pg 34)."

Doesn't seem the elected representatives can prevent wasteful spending or agree on legislation to reduce the abuse. OTOH the Senate proved last night how quickly they can pass a bill that's going to cause for more taxes to be collected.

Anony Mouse said...

I want to ask a question in social manners. Is it offensive for a man, to compliment another man, innocently, on his dress or his appearance, when they meet on the street ? I often compliment men (and some women - ) out of the goodness of my heart and with a clean mind - in a genuine, inoffensive, non-sexual manner. I find it cheers them up, at least for the moment, and makes me feel good, as well. I mean, life is short, if you see traits or behavior that you admire - my attitude is speak up, speak out and encourage the good people in this world around you. As a Jewish saying goes, "While giving criticism, whisper into ears, - when giving compliments and praises, shout from the rooftops".

In all fairness, I am reluctant to compliment some women, especially the showy, good looking ones, because (a) they are probably used to it , and (b) they may look upon you as a creep. But, men, I compliment if they are unusually well dressed, and stand out in the crowd - because I am confident in my own sexuality ( am not gay - ) - and my compliment is always well received.

My wife vigorously disagrees. She says I should not be complimenting people at all, definitely not women ( it looks, and sounds, risque' - ) and absolutely, never other men, because it hints at ... gay-ness. What would you think ?

Dennis said...

Anony Mouse, I think it's perfectly acceptable. Women do it to other women all the time.

I've done it several times over the years and occasionally received a compliment from a guy, and never thought him gay. Long as he didn't hold my hand when he said it...

I still compliment women, but avoid anything that could be construed as sexual or a come-on. Couple weeks ago, I complimented a women in her 50s who had very nicely defined and toned arms, and she lit up like a Christmas tree. Just gotta pick your spots.

Husker Gary said...

Musings
-Of course those HERDS in the American West were bison. Bison Bill? Hmmm…
-My STREAM is the music I am listening to on iTunes
-An entire age of history is named for this ALLOY
-AMEN and Alleluia are two very half hearted choruses in our church
-The most famous GLIB pitchman?
-Two teachers got fired in Omaha this week not because they accidentally gave a peanut butter sandwich to a boy with a severe peanut allergy but because they threw away the evidence after his violent reaction (he’s fine), lied about it and told the aids and a student teacher to “Just go along with it”. The student teacher didn’t.
-A sub may not believe in what the teacher is doing but, “When in Rome…”
-I had a big glass of wine on an empty stomach last week and I did STAGGER a little before I got something to eat – Lightweight!
-I felt like a RELIC yesterday when I mentioned Watergate and 17 year olds just looked at me quizzically
-Beautiful child, Kazie! How far is the trip for Lea to visit?
-Hahtoolah, the Quality of those whose govern us is as scary as the Quantity

kazie said...

Anony mouse,
I say go for it, as long as it sounds casual enough and you don't linger on it too long.

I echo others in starting with PEEK, but have nothing against PEEP. what does annoy me is the modern use of peeps for people. Makes me think of those annoying Easter candy peeps.

I also misread Horne as Home, so when LENA appeared I was a little nonplussed.

Thanks C.C., for posting Lea's pictures. We are of course completely enchanted by all her photos, so I just wanted to share these few. Thanks too for the kind remarks on them from others.

Husker Gary said...

I am with Dennis and Anonymous on this complimenting question; ya gotta pick your spots. Tell a Wal Mart clerk of a certain age that you like her hair, jewelry, competence, attitude etc and he/she will light up and really appreciate that someone showed any interest after an initial look of disbelief! However, complimenting any 20 year old coed on any part of her body at the Y might generate a 911 call or a blast of mace!
Hmmm… a beautiful day now that spring has arrived. What to do? Wait a minute…

Spitzboov said...

Good morning all.

Got caught up in the peek/peep maelstrom. But when I had 'skonbe bob @4d, and it didn't make sense, I took a hard look at the whole NW corner. Figuring that PEEP would also work and I saw the appearance of SPONGE BOB. Voilà. Mend became GIRD, HUMOR ME now made sense, and DIARY (which I didn't know) also seemed a good guess.
The rest of the puzzle was uneventful. No YAWN, I like Jack's puzzles.

Great family pix, Kazie.

Have a great day.

kazie said...

Husker,
It's about an 8 to 9 hour flight with a road trip of roughly three hours at each end. It's hard on all of us when we have to do it too!

They spent a day in Berlin at the US embassy last week getting her passport approved. That's a three and a half hour drive each way plus the waiting while there. They said she was an angel the whole time until the car trip home, by which time she was getting a little fussy.

But that's pretty good, so hopefully she'll be OK on the trip here as well. We did warn them about flying with a baby, but they wanted to do it anyway.

Yellowrocks said...

I have frequently looked up the use of the term American "buffalo." It is in almost all dictionaries and is actually older than "bison," although the term "bison" is more correct scientifically. In the Lewis and Clark journals they were called buffalo. “Buffalo Gals”, won’t you come out tonight?” (1844),

The term "buffalo" is sometimes considered to be a misnomer for this animal, as it is only distantly related to either of the two "true buffalo", the Asian water buffalo and the African buffalo. However, "bison" is a Greek word meaning ox-like animal, while "buffalo" originated with the French fur trappers who called these massive beasts bœufs, meaning ox or bullock—so both names, "bison" and "buffalo", have a similar meaning. Though the name "Bison" might be considered to be more scientifically correct[by whom?], as a result of standard usage the name "Buffalo" is also considered correct and is listed in many dictionaries as an acceptable name for American Buffalo or bison. In reference to this animal, the term "buffalo", dates to 1635 in North American usage when the term was first recorded for the American mammal. It thus has a much longer history than the term "bison", which was first recorded in 1774. -Wikipedia.

JJM said...

Next time your channel surfing and see "SpongeBob", stop and take a minute to watch. It's actually can be very funny at times. There is some adult humor in there that the kids don't get.

JD said...

Good morning Argyle, C.C., et al,

A very quick CW this morning... lots of fill that I learned doing puzzles a few years back.Did change lode to lade, and grows to tills. Didn't notice that Spongebob was skonge bob til I saw it here.oops!

Kazie, lucky you. Lea is darling and I know you will have a great time in June.

Irish Miss said...

Good morning:

Breezed through this Tuesday offering quite handily. Cute theme but, as Argyle said, somewhat dated fill. Still, it was fun to solve, Jack, and fun to read Argyle's write-up.

Lea is beautiful, Kazie; I bet you can hardly wait to have her in your arms.

Our glorious stretch of perfect weather continues, although rain is predicted for tomorrow. That's okay, we need it and we have had at least two weeks of sunshine and comfortable temps.

Happy Tuesday.

chin said...

I too was taken in by the peep/peek issue.

Buffalo bunches was good. By the way, groups of buffalo or bison are also known as gangs or obstinacies.

Qli said...

Delightful puzzle! "Current" indeed, Argyle! This was a nice way to return to the blog after a wild couple of weeks. My Dad is now eating pickled fish in heaven.

I hadn't thought much about the "bunch of buffalo" until I read all of your funny comments about it. YR, your quip about the nickel had me laughing out loud! I'll have to remember that one. Of course, we up here tend to think Bison, as in HDSU's Thundering HERD.

and Mari, now i have that tune stuck in my head.

Qli said...

NDSU, for Pete's sake, I hit enter after the capcha, so didn't get to proofread that post.

Hope little Leah's ears do well on her long flight. She's not quite ready to chew gum, I imagine!

HeartRx said...

Oh, Kazie! How could I forget to tell you what cute pics of adorable Lea? I hope their flight here is uneventful, but I am sure you will appreciate having her in your arms!

Anony Mouse said...

Yellow Rocks, I have a 2 yr old grandson, in Nashville, who insists on calling it a 'buffalo' - which startles my wife and me, because we thought the proper word was 'bison'. Thanks to you, now I know, that he is more correct than both of us.

After all, 'Give me a home, where the buffaloes roam, and the deer and the antelope play, .... '

As you mention, we think of buffaloes as the Asian water buffalo - whose milk has 4.8% fat !! They are more profitable, as milking animals, in India, than cows.

There is also the Gaur -Indian bison - buffalo which I have had the pleasure of seeing, in a rubber plantation. It is a massive animal, its ratio to a buffalo, is like a mammoth to an elephant.

It is commonly called 'white socks'. It is supposed to be protected, but it may be shot, with government permission, if it causes too much damage to fields or plantations. There is also a problem of getting a good hunter, with a rifle, with appropriate ammunition, all of which are very rare in India. Once killed, the meat can feed a village and a half. Curiously, it's meat is apparently 'exempt' from normal dietary laws, in that most indian non-muslims do not eat beef. In a food starved, protein-poor, country .....

TTP said...

We have Bison at nearby Fermilab. One of them recently gave birth.

And here's an article from about a month ago on Bison safety Fermilab Today

Kazie, such a beautiful baby !

kazie said...

Qli,
Thanks for the concern about ears. I experienced that with our other son at 6 months of age, so I know what you mean. Since Lea is still totally on breast milk, her mom should be able to nurse her through it, if they'll let her be held for the landing. Failing that, she can have her "nuk" to suck on.

Misty said...

Fun Tuesday speed run, which I really, really needed today. So, many thanks, Jack! I especially appreciated being able to get the theme without any problem. And thanks to you too, Argyle, for the fun expo.

I really hope they'll do another season of "The Bletchley Circle," one of the delights of the last month. Thanks for the info about Diana Riggs's daughter, Fermatprime.

Adorable baby, Kazie.

Our regular caregiver comes back tomorrow, so life should be returning to normal. In our world, "normal" is wonderful!

Have a great day, everybody!

Yellowrocks said...

Lea is so lovely. That last picture is especially adorable. It just makes me want to hug her.

AnonyMouse. I am sure you and your grandson are both correct. And, of course, you are being scientific.

So often here in puzzledom we have discovered there are several correct spellings, meanings, grammar choices, etc. The puzzles help us keep an open mind.

Today I learned that NORW is a legitiamte abbreviation for Norway. I had my doubts, but found several references to it. A closed mind keeps out new information. An open mind is always learning.

Anonymous said...

TTP, I read with great interest about the bison-buffaloes (bisalos ?) at Fermilabs, in the link that you so graciously provided, as above. Increasingly, as I read on, I grew concerned that some sort of spoof was involved, until I saw the date of the newsletter. !@? Dr. Who and Dr. Knowall ? Ha, ha, ha. I have a cousin working at the Terra-Hertz section, out there, and I am aware of the giganti-humongous amount of dollars being spent at the facility - especially half the national debt in search of that elusive Higg's Boson - or is it Bigs Hose-on ?

Glad to know, that somebody out there is maintaining a sense of humor, although I earnestly hope that Fermilabs is affected by the sequestration like everyone else, although it is in the plumb center of Obama's home district. I am certainly in awe of the brilliant minds out there - only I wish - some of that knowledge could be used to produce - say, a glue that would mend my broken polypropylene thingie at the end of my vacuum cleaner. I mean its all good to look for muons, and what-ons and why-ons and Mars, - but we need food and meat on the table right now.

Nevertheless, my sincere best wishes to you, and thanks for the link.

For obvious reasons, you understand why I prefer to remain

Misty said...

CC Testing as Misty.

Abejo said...

Good morning, folks. Thank you, Jack McInturff, for an excellent Tuesday puzzle. Thank you, Argyle, for the swell review.

Kazie: Liked the family photos. I am sure you are proud.

Puzzle was quite easy.

I, also, wrote in PEEK. Fixed that to PEEP after a while. I have no problem with peep. Common word that means a quick look. ie: peep show

I also wrote in ERMA instead of IRMA. Do that all the time.

Wanted LOAD instead of LADE. I do have a few write-overs.

Liked the theme. I worked with electricity all my life and can relate to all those terms. Have seen more fuses blow than Carter has liver pills.

I do remember SPONGE BOB Square pants. My daughter watched that show a lot when she as young, therefore Mynwife and I did too.

As soon as I finish selling these Vidalia Onions I hope tombe TILLing the soil as well.

See you tomorrow.

Abejo

(uenzhote)



Misty1 said...

Hi C.C., hope you're having a good morning. It looks as though my earlier post is still on, so hope that's a good sign.

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

Qli,
I'm so sorry for your loss.

Misty,
I unspammed you earlier. I also unspammed you yesterday. But Misty1 & my testing Misty both went through perfectly.

Lucina said...

Good day to all.

WEES. This was a speed run and hand up for PEEK/PEEP though I didn't notice it until reading the blog that I hadn't changed it!

I agree that the HUMOR in SPONGEBOB Square Pants is often satirical or has puns more suited to an adult audience.

This was an enjoyable speed run and I agree that using familiar names and phrases is comforting and Mr. McInturff use of them does bring on a smile. Bridget Jones' DIARY on the other hand is more current.

Kazie:
What an adorable child is Lea!

And I also watched Bletchley Circle for the first time and wished I had seen the previous ones.

Dennis:
I hope we never become so PC that compliments are forbidden. You go for it!

Have a lovely Tuesday, everyone!

Lucina said...

Qli:
I'm sorry to hear about your father. Please accept my deepest sympathy.

Yellowrocks said...

QLI, I am sorry to hear about your father. I offer my deepest sympathy.

I copied a cute article in WORD. Here is a sample.

Dear Tech Support:

Recently I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed that the new program began making unexpected changes to the accounting software, severely limiting access to wardrobe, flower, and jewelry applications that operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0. No mention of this phenomenon was included in the product brochure.

In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalls many valuable programs such as DinnerDancing 7.5, ....

If you would like a copy of the entire article please email me.

Anonymous said...

Dear YR, my shes-too-old daughter refuses to update her Boyfriend version 12.8 to the Wife-Husband version and its driving me batty and up-the-wall. Do you suppose I could third-party-load the wife version, in her petite tiny little liberal brain, remotely, without her knowledge - so at least I could get some peace of mind - and die happy ? I am open to all possible operating systems, and all vendors, and would even consider a pirated bug-filled version - so long as I could get it safely embedded into her mental computer - and get her settled down - once and for all. BTW, do you offer a married-couple-cum-baby version ? For that, I am prepared to pay very generously. Money and Payment - no problem - really, really.

Misty said...

Qli, just realized from other posts that you've recently lost your father. I'm so sorry to hear it.

Jayce said...

Hello everybody. I found this puzzle to be easier than yesterday's. WEES. SKONG___B looked weird until, like many of you did, I changed PEEK to PEEP. I too read Horne as Home and therefore wanted NOLA as the answer. Only after filling LENA did I go back and read the clue correctly. The font they use often makes "rn" look like "m".

Interesting discussion about buffalo.

Interesting how Congress can act quickly and efficiently to alleviate something that inconveniences them (flight delays due to the air traffic controller layoffs) but are utterly unable to legislate for the benefit of the people as a whole.

For some reason I was not horrified by Poe's PIT and the Pendulum. I found it to be a bit of a YAWN. I guess it's difficult to be emotionally affected by "indescribable" horrors. Heck, if the author himself can't describe them, how is the reader able to even know what is supposedly so horrible? I loved Poe's Gold Bug, however.

Husker Gary said...

-Back from 27 holes on a perfect day. Two good 9’s and one not so much.
-Qli, I love your take on your father’s passing! You sound like you have many good memories of him. BTW, my dad’s nickname was Jack Bananas and I’ll bet he’s getting all of them he wants too.
-This is what I thought a real BUFFALO is. I’ve heard it called the most dangerous animal in Africa.
-Kazie, It’s too bad that Lea is so far away but, like golf, you “gotta play it where it lies”
-I had a teenage girl get an unrelenting ear ache going from Orlando to Chicago and I hope your little one gets through it. Lea probably isn’t big on chewing gum ;-)
-It’s been my experience that failing to update to Husband 1.0, the girl friend 12.x usually gets the short end of the stick. Liberals that disdain social convention can be hoisted on their own sociological petards when there is no legal relief. But if she’s happy…

Dennis said...

Definitely a speed-run type puzzle today; no muss, no fuss, and a shout-out to Boca as well. Nicely done, Jack.

Qli, very sorry for your loss.

Kazie, forgot to mention, great family pics - you've got a lot of fun ahead of you.

Lucina, no worries; I don't do PC very sincerely, so I tend to use it sparingly.

Anony-Mouse, further on the 'compliments' issue: I've found they're much more well-received if they're said in passing, so you don't look like you're trying to start up a conversation or hit on them.

Jayce said...

The congee we make here at Chez Jayce is based on a broth made from pork meat (loin or "butt") cut into dice-sized cubes and simmered for most of the afternoon. At some point, we add rice and continue to cook it. The other ingredients, bok choy and ginger, are added later, as they take less cooking time. An important ingredient is the preserved duck eggs (pi dan), which we first cut into quarters. Add salt until it tastes right. We let it simmer on the stove top until it thickens up a bit. We top each serving with a sprinkle of white pepper and chopped scallion. I like to have a you tiao (sort of a bread stick) with it but we usually are too lazy to make a special trip to go out and buy them. I imagine you could use a slow cooker like a crock pot, which I think would have the same effect as a big ole pot on the range top.

Bill G. said...

Jayce, I loved "The Gold Bug" too! Not quite as good but still very clever was "The Purloined Letter."

Qli, best wishes and good thoughts for you and the rest of your father's family.

Kazie, happy grand-daughtering! Lea is a cutie!

I see where Jimmy Conners has written a tell-all book including getting Chris Evert pregnant and her having an abortion. Why he felt the need to bring that up is beyond me. He may have a lot of virtues but class isn't one of them.

Anonymous said...

Hey Bill, thanks for bringing that up.

Ilie Nastase said...

Yeah, we needed to know that. Nice crossword-related comments as well.

Irish Miss said...

Qli - My sincere sympathy on the loss of your father.

PK said...

Hi Y'all! Fun speed run at just over 10 minutes for me, Jack! Even with alternate spellings which are always a tossup: eroo/AROO, Mama/MOMMA, erma/IRMA. Then alto/AMEN from the choir. Thanks, Argyle.

From last night: What is the most stressful number of children? My experience is that ONE can be the most stressful depending on the personality and activity factors. My last one was such a daredevil (now AF pilot) he was more stressful than the other three combined.

My farmhome was a short ride from a neighbor who raised buffalos for meat sales. The meat is less fat-marbelled than beef and quite tasty. The animals are never really domesticated and need higher sturdier fencing (telephone pole size around) to confine or they just mow right through it. They are fun to watch stampede: each sticks its little rope of a tail in the air and away they go in a bunch. Our Mexican exchange student, who was studying to be a veterinarian, was so excited about seeing them.

PK said...

QLI: My condolences for the loss of your father.

Mesa Verde is one of my favorite places. I've been there several times and those ancient empty cities hold an enchanting fascination for me.

My knees are so bad right now, I STAGGER around sometimes and wonder if the neighbors think I spend my leisure time drinking.

Dennis, I was so shocked at your comment that you "avoid anything that could be construed as sexual or a come-on." WOW! I thought you were king of DF. Well, I guess I can stop worrying about you being arrested as a dirty old man.

Dennis said...

PK, please don't take away my 'hard-earned' title! And the key line in my previous post was, "pick your spots" -- makes all the difference.

Yellowrocks said...

ANON @ 12:35 Too funny! My tech support article is a pirated version. I am sorry I cannot post it because it is about t 2pages long. But I could email it.

Abejo said...

Qli: My deepest sympathies to you and your family on the loss of your father. It can be tough. I remember. However, I hope he had a happy and long life. That is all we can hope for.

Best Regards,

Abejo

(ueaila)

CrossEyedDave said...

Yest. TTP@7:37 re: manac,,,, I could not figure out the abbreviation "GSD's" (something to do with dogs.)

Re: Today, Wees about 14a, but one peep at the perp straightened me out. But it did leave me with a much larger nit! I am sure it is the editing, & not the constructor, but the Tuesday puzzle is completely biased! 4D clue = toon fry cook in a Krusty Krab restaurant! (Anyone with kids knows this with just "toon fry cook.") But 47D Isle off Tuscany = Elba? Do you give us youngsters the same same Tuesday level clue??? Could you have at least added "where Napoleon was exiled?" (Like I said, this puzzle is age biased!...)

JJM@9:04, I was hooked on Spongebob when I 1st heard them do "showtunes." Unfortunately Youtube does not have a good clip of it, but "just a greasy spoon/without you, aka a stove is not a stove, is classic!

CrossEyedDave said...

Fermatprime@5:39am

1st I hear you are a trekker, & now you are into Dr. Who? (where have you been all my life?) Alas, I fear we are incompatible, (as I could never possibly get up as early as you! :)

I had no idea Diana Rigg had a daughter! While her mother had some great costumes, (& some not so much...) Her daughter seems to have solved the wardrobe problem!

Qli, Sorry to hear about your loss.

PK said...

Dennis: Ah, yes, pick your spots (aka aureolas?) that explains it. Reign on!

Dennis said...

PK -- BUSTED again!

AnnieB8491 said...

Good Afternoon all - Pretty much a speed run for me today. WEES about PEEK/PEEP and SPONGEBOB. Yesterday's CW was pretty straightforward as well. Thanks Jack for making me feel smart today and Argyle for your great expo. Funny clip w/ Danny and Billy. Saw that movie a long time ago.

Kazie - Beautiful picture of Lea. I love the look she is giving her pacifier. :)

Spring is officially here - took our first ride of the season in our Firebird.

Have a great rest of the day all!

bitpos

AnnieB8491 said...

Got home over the weekend and have been busy busy with no time to post. Glanced at Saturday's and Sunday's puzzles with little input.
We had a couple of uninvited visitors while we were away. Two birds got in thru the fireplace (we have doors but they must have knocked them open. Not sure how they got in the chimney. Hubby has to check out). Pretty much any flat surface - either vertical or horizontal - had bird s..t on it. My son found 2 dead birds in our closet a couple of weeks ago when he came in to check the house and noticed a smell. Our daughter-in-law came last week and washed our bedspread so we had a clean bed to sleep in. She also cleaned our living room and bedroom rugs and mirrors. All of windows/blinds damage was done in our bedroom. Threw blinds away (they were new 14 years ago when house was new) and got new ones, curtains and windows are now clean. Next big job will be to empty out our closet and make sure no remnants are on clothes. Ugh. Oh well, we wanted to paint in there anyway so I guess this is as good a time as any.
Came down with a bad cold yesterday - must have gotten it on the plane. :( Feeling better today.

Qli - my sympathies on the loss of your father. May your many memories get your thru the difficult times.

kazie said...

Qli,
I'm sorry I didn't mention it earlier, but please allow me to express my heartfelt sympathy over your loss. I'm sure your father is in a better place now.

And thanks again to all who think Lea is as cute as we do! It's great to have one's biases validated by so many friends!

Sfingi said...

My paper has the crossword so squashed tiny that I thought 35A asked "Jazz home." So how can RENo be the home of Jazz? Finally, LENA!

Beautiful day here in Upstate NY. Soon to rain, though.

My favorite mystery writer is still Georges Simenon, though I've discovered Andrea Camilleri.

PK said...

AnnieB: Maybe you've got bird flu! What a mess with the birds! I can sympathize. Reminded of when we went in to clean out my grandfather's home years ago, we could smell something dead. Finally found a dead squirrel in between grandmother's handmade quilts in the bedroom closet. He'd left a path of destruction. Luckily we were able to save most of the quilts.

TTP said...

CED at 3:27,

Yes, dogs. GSD is one of the names for the Deutscher Schaferhund. AKA Alsatian. If you watch the Westminster Kennel Club when the Herding Group is presented, take note that the dog is almost always referred to as the German Shepherd Dog, rather than just as the German Shepherd. The German name translates directly to German Shepherd Dog.

Also, if you and other Dr Who fans didn't see my earlier link to "Fermilab Today", take a peek and explore some of the links. I like the Archive link.

Kazie, you might especially like the link on the Particle Astrophysics Seminar. I'm sure you've heard words that have made you cringe.

Anonymous @ 11:06. They have a little fun with their rag once a year. I don't work there. In 81 they flew me out from Ohio and I interviewed but turned down the offers when a better one came in to work in Houston for more pay.

Qli, sorry for your loss. Love your perspective.

fermatprime said...

Qli: So sorry about your loss.

CED: I do not get up early--I stay up late!! That's OK. I fear our age difference is humungous!

That picture is not DIANA's daughter Rachael Stirling! Shame!

CrossEyedDave said...

Not Rachael Stirling! Oh Nuts, I guess you can't believe everything you read on the internet. Nice catch on my error! Now that you mention it, the chin does not match at all. But can you blame me for not noticing her chin?)

Bill G. said...

Non illegitimi carborundum.

Diana's daughter or no, why go halfway? What is she trying to hold onto? I didn't notice her chin either.

Rode to Hermosa Beach for a pleasant lunch; fish and chips with Robert Palmer's "I Got a Bad Case of Loving You" playing in the background.

Bill G. said...

Here is a slide show of awkward prom photos from NBC. Wow! They bring back some memories... Awkward for sure.

Anonymous said...

That's it, Bill G. Blame others.

It wasn't a smart thing to post.

TTP said...

Hey Bill, I just copied and looked up your latin phrase. Never knew what that meant when you posted it. Probably won't use it at work !

Manac said...

Bill @7:46
Well said!

fermatprime said...

Here is Diana Rigg's daughter:

Photo.

CC: It seems that we have some nutball making fun of Bill. I wonder who. Can something be done?

Chickie said...

Hola Everyone, Very, very late in getting to the blog today. Dentist, then many errands before I could get to the puzzle.
Wees for the puzzle. I zipped through it after I fianally was able to sit long enough to get it done.

Kazie, your Lea, is adorable. From this Leah, I love the name. LOL.

Frematprime, We loved "The Bletchley Circle". Very intriguing and suspenseful at the end. The making of the series information was also very interesting. Thanks for posting the picture of Rachel Stirling.

QLI, I'm so sorry about your father.

Until tomorrow.

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

Fermatprime,
Bill has enough class to ignore those mean-spirited anons. At times I could recognize who posted some anonymous attacking posts because of the distinctive writing style and the particular phrases used, but most remain a mystery to me.

I can allow Blue Posters only, but then we'll lose lots of Black Posters (PK/Misty) and new posters. Someday Blogger software will show the exact location & avatar of each anonymous post!