google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Monday July 1, 2019 Brock Wilson

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Jul 1, 2019

Monday July 1, 2019 Brock Wilson

Theme: CHECKLIST (62. To-do items to tick off ... and what the starts of the answers to starred clues comprise) - The first word means "check" in a different way.

17A. *Cold one from a tap: DRAFT BEER.

38A. *Nuclear restraint pact: TEST BAN.

11D. *"Ghostbusters" co-star: BILL MURRAY.

28D. *Attractiveness when viewed from the street, to a Realtor: CURB APPEAL.

Boomer here.

Can anyone explain how "Draft" belongs to a "checklist"?  My guess is that if you write a check I suppose it could be called a bank draft.  However when I see draft, I think of closing a window,  We FINALLY are realizing summer in Minnesota. After a long cool spring, weather forecasters are issuing heat warnings and keeping me off the golf course.

Speaking of golf, The 3M Open is at the TPC Blaine this week. The Senior PGA used to have a tournament there ((3M Championship) about this time of year. C.C. and I attended many days. However, they have shunned the seniors and now the regular PGA Tour has the first stop in Minnesota in 50 years.  The Champions Tour stop was no charge.  Now there are pricey tickets.


Boomer, 3M, 2016

Across:

1. Six-legged picnic invaders: ANTS.  I never counted the legs on an ant.
5. Nasty film: SCUM.

9. Like a mad dog: RABID.  You don't want to mess with any animal with rabies.

14. Bossa __: dance: NOVA.  Blame it on the Bossa Nova.

15. Really bugs: IRKS.  I have to listen to Bert Blyleven's comments on Twins telecasts for about 50 of them.

16. Fail to pronounce, as the "g" in an "-ing" word: ELIDE.
19. Room in le chalet: SALLE. De La Salle High School was our arch rival in High School.

20. Disdainful glance: SIDE-EYE.  If you got that from a teacher, you knew you were in trouble.


21. "Something wrong?": PROBLEM.  No problem here.

23. Hesitates: BALKS.  Sometimes a pitcher will fake home and throw to first.

25. Economist Smith: ADAM.  Thinking more of Adam Sandler, "Happy Gilmore" !

26. Playground time at school: RECESS.  Yup, I remember in grade school they would send us out in freezing cold weather.

29. __ Beta Kappa: PHI.

31. Call to the sled dogs: MUSH.  Remember Cream of Wheat or Malt-O- Meal ?

34. Like two right-triangle angles: ACUTE.  This does not seem to be A CUTE clue.

35. Poker pot promises: IOUS.  I would not play poker with anyone who has no money.

36. __-Navy game: annual football rivalry: ARMY.  Many of these players become Generals or Admirals.

37. Road surface goo: TAR.

41. Fabric flaw: RIP.  Mr. Van Winkle fell asleep for 20 years.  They did not have alarm clocks in the early 1800's.  Only roosters.



42. Sun circlers: ORBS.

44. Dieter's count: FATS.  "I found my thrill, on blueberry hill." His real name was Antoine Domino.  I don't think it's kosher to call anyone "Fats" anymore.

45. Make deliveries to large groups?: ORATE.

47. Bismarck's st.: N DAK.  One of my favorite movies was "FARGO".  Probably because of the local flavor.

48. Whiskey sour whiskey: RYE.  I am not a whiskey expert.  I think I remember that a whiskey sour was any kind of whiskey with a lemon sour mixer.

49. Game competitor: PLAYER. "The Black Knight"  Mr. Gary Player.

50. Flammable pile: PYRE.

52. Show shown over: RE-RUN.  Like "Law and Order" on about three cable channels.

54. Oft-framed college memento: DIPLOMA.  If you have one, does that make you a diplomat ??

57. Alan who played Snape: RICKMAN.



61. Fitness motto opening: USE IT.

64. Large Dallas suburb: PLANO.  I think the Southfork Ranch is near Plano, making TV's "Dallas" location famous.

65. "Have a __ day": NICE.  A bit overused, but still pleasant. 

66. Yale students: ELIS.

67. Pursuer of snakelike fish: EELER.  If you catch one, you will need a feeler for your peeler. 

68. Ambulance staffers, for short: EMTS.

69. Hunk of beef: SLAB.  Beef is something to eat, but I have heard of a slab of concrete.

Down:

1. "No ifs, __ or buts": ANDS.

2. Sushi seaweed: NORI.



3. Prime-time spot: TV AD.  Doesn't matter if it's prime time or not.  I think I sit through 100 or more every day.

4. Sure thing: SAFE BET.  There's really no such thing, unless you cheat.

5. Old Greek prophets: SIBYLS.

6. Small stream: CREEK.  Lots of creeks in Minnesota,  They name golf courses after them.  C.C. and I used to play at "Cedar Creek".



7. Luau strings: UKE.  I am so old that I remember Arthur Godfrey playing his on TV. (black and white of course).

8. Car sticker no.: MSRP.  I wonder who makes these up.  Every new car has one, and no one pays that price.

9. Fill in, as a lawn bare spot: RE-SOD.  Normally I just use seed.  Sod is heavy and dirty. 

10. Gulf of Mexico state: ALABAMA. A red state with a blue senator.  But I don't think we have heard the last of Roy Moore.
 
12. Not working: IDLE.  "An idle brain is the devil's workshop."  Professor Harold Hill.

13. Regard: DEEM.

18. Service with cups and saucers: TEA SET.  I think all three of my sisters had one when we were kids.  Or maybe they shared the same one.

22. Gorbachev's wife: RAISA.



24. Helper during gym practice: SPOTTER.

26. Boca __, Florida: RATON.  Looks inviting, on the eastern beach on the Atlantic.

27. Online b'day wish: E-CARD.

30. Central airports: HUBS.  Still have not heard much about the 737 MAX.  I saw that Dallas has a new Airbus 220.  Take a ride?

32. Whack, biblically: SMITE.

33. Bursting with energy: HYPER.

35. Dr. Watson exclamation: I SAY. Elementary.

39. Violinist Zimbalist: EFREM.  Interesting name.  I used to think he played the cymbals.



40. Frustrated searcher's news: NO LUCK.  Should have made a SAFE BET.

43. City panorama: SKYLINE.  Used to be one of my favorite JIGSAW puzzle themes.

46. Irritates: RANKLES.

49. What shoppers compare: PRICES.  Maybe - but sometimes the better watermelons cost a little more.

51. Copter blade: ROTOR.

53. Standing upright: ERECT.  I used to have an Erector set that came in a red metal case.  Are they still on the market??

54. Put one over on: DUPE.

55. Site in shipwreck cartoons: ISLE.  The skipper, the movie star, the Billionaire and his wife.  The professor and Mary Ann here on Gilligan's Island.

56. Clearasil target: ACNE.

58. Pepper grinder: MILL. The ONLY way to add pepper to your food!

59. One side of the Urals: ASIA.

60. Govt. crash investigator: NTSB.  These are always sad.  Last week we had a medical helicopter go down in bad weather and we lost a nurse and the pilot.

63. That guy: HIM.

Boomer



Notes from C.C.:

Thanks for the birthday wishes, everyone. Boomer prepared our special occasion meal: baked Canadian walleye and wild rice (perfectly cooked: chewy and tender). I also had a plate of mini cucumber salad topped with the additive Target Crazy Fresh Pico de Gallo. And some fresh lychees, which Boomer declined to taste. He's not an adventurous eater. He had some fruit salad and a few slices of the sweet watermelon. Just a perfect meal on a very hot humid day.

41 comments:

fermatprime@gmail.com said...

Greetings!

Thanks to Brock and Boomer!

Did not know SIDE-EYE and PLANO, but no problem.

Was happy to work Sunday's w/o error just a few minutes ago.

Have a great day!

OwenKL said...

FIR, tho RICKhAm > RICKMAN, hbdty > E-CARD, noir > porn > SCUM, BrEw > BEER all caused problems hiding perps.
As for the theme, I never would have got it. Even with the reveal, I had to stare at the list I'd made of them for a long time trying to figure out how those words related to either CHECK or LIST. CHECK as a bank-DRAFT is either obsolete or a Britishism, and just DRAFT even more-so. Restaurant BILL was okay, but some type of CURB or TEST (following the format of the first two) didn't register. After a break, I went back and saw TEST as to check out something, and CURB is to put a check on something, but in that format, DRAFT and BILL didn't have any meaning. Then I put the two together and V-8!

A con-man made a DUPE of himself.
He did it with tech off-the-shelf.
He ignored the TEST BAN
On creating a man;
With his clone, he'd dupe everyone else!

The house had great CURB APPEAL.
The neighborhood had a good feel.
But it couldn't get sold
Once buyers were told
Of the spirits that came with the deal!

~ ~ ~

In past Greek years
The SIBYLS were seers
Of things that could come true.
To change their fates
Then what it takes
Is coins for the temple's crew.

In times like these
Of ubiquitous T.V.s,
Televangelists on the screens,
Is it any wonder
That still they plunder
From guileless people's dreams?

{B, B, A.}

D4E4H said...

Rabbit, rabbit!

FIR in 25:27 min.

Jolly July Jesters!

Thank you Brock Wilson for this enjoyable Monday CW.

Thank you Boomer for your excellent review.

Ðave

BobB said...

Side eye? Had evil eye before it was obviously wrong.

desper-otto said...

Good morning! [Ribbit, ribbit]

Surprise, surprise. D-o did not get the theme. No problem with the solve, though. Thanx, Brock and fish-cooker, Boomer.

EFREM -- Quite a famous family. His wife was a noted singer. His son, Efrem Jr. starred in The F.B.I., and his granddaughter, Stephanie, starred in Remington Steele.

Arthur Godfrey -- He ruled the airwaves back in the '50s, and had a famous falling-out with Julius LaRosa. He also got into trouble, flying his private plane too close to the NYC skyscrapers.

Fargo -- It was the dialog and spot-on accents that made that movie for me.

Jinx in Norfolk said...

FIR, but had to fix BILL MURReY. And I just watched Caddy Shack this weekend. UNTIE! We have a pool...and a pond. The pond would be good for you.

Eydie Gorme advised never to take the blame. Just Blame it on the Bossa Nova.

If a southpaw's right foot goes behind the rubber during the stretch, he BALKs if he doesn't throw home. Depending on the ump. I hate it when a MLB pitcher fakes a pickoff throw to third then whirls and throws to first. Hasn't worked since his Little League days. Not a BALK, but it should be.

DW and I honeymooned at the Boca Beach Club in Boca RATON. Mouth of the Rat. Beautiful resort and golf course. We piggybacked our celebration with a Lucent top salespeople "conference", actually just a junket to reward the rain makers. We tell people that Dionne Worwick sang at our honeymoon.

Fun, fast puzzle today, Brock. And thanks also to Boomer for all the chuckles. Especially for EFREM Cymbalsit.

Frankie goes to Hollywood said...

Re: 26d Boca __, Florida : RATON
The name of the city of Boca Raton in Florida translates from Spanish as “Mouse Mouth”. There doesn’t seem to be a definitive etymology of the name but one plausible explanation is a nautical one. “Boca”, as well as meaning “mouth” can mean “inlet”. “Ratón”, as well as meaning “mouse” was also used to describe rocks that chewed away at a ship’s anchor cable. So possibly Boca Raton was named for a rocky inlet.

Also I think our friend from the early days of the blog, Dennis, may have retired to live there. Or somewhere close by.

RAISA, Nancy and John Paul II probably had as much to do with the collapse of the Soviet Union as did Ronnie, Mikhail and Margaret. (As did our tax dollars used to outspend the commies and cause their economy to collapse.)

Husker Gary said...

Musings¬
-¬Some obscurity and Boomer’s write-up added to the fun
-SNAPE two days in a row. Will it stick?
-Two meaningless phrases when taken literally – Greeting, “How you doin’? Farewell, “Have a NICE day”
-An ad I saw last night said “$15,000 off MSRP. What’s the point of MSRP?
-8:30 am tee time with grandkids!

Boomer said...

I am a bit annoyed that only two Twins have made this year's all star team. Maybe this year I will watch a "Law and Order" rerun instead of the game. I agree with TTP that Gionatti is in line for the Cy Young award. Jake Odorizzi will be in Cleveland but he is stuck on ten wins, while Gio picked up number 11 against us yesterday. By the way, I think the PGA is in for a wet tournament. A look in this morning's paper shows rain through Sunday. Good Luck to Nate Lashley. Maybe you can do it again ??

CanadianEh! said...

Marvellous Minday. Thanks for the fun, Brock and ?Boomer.
Zip, across, down and I was finished this CW with just a short stop to correct EFRAM (I wanted ph instead of f but that had the dieter counting pats!).

PLANO was unknown.
RAISA has not been seen in CWs for a while. Loved the photo with the TEASET,)

Off to celebrate Canada Day with the family.
Wishing you all a NICE day.

CanadianEh! said...

Ignore the ? Boomer. We know who you are LOL.

Yellowrocks said...

Interesting Monday with a tad of bite to it. No prob.
Frankie, interesting take on Boca Raton. Rocky inlet sounds plausible.
I knew salle means room in French. Salle de bains is bathroom. Today I wondered why the explorer, Sieur de la Salle, was named after a room, so I LIU. Salle can also mean manor or hall, so his name means Lord of the manor. I have heard his name ever since I was a fifth grader and never wondered about it before.
Enjoy your Canada Day, Canadian Eh.
NTSB, is the board that interrupts our TV programs after a crash to tell us there is nothing new to add to what was said just a little while ago.
I remember A. Godfrey and his uke. We watched him all the time in my youth.
Investopedia currently uses DRAFT by itself from time to time. "Typically, banks will review the bank draft requester's account to see if sufficient funds are available for the check to clear. ... A draft ensures the payee a secure form of payment." Overdraft, of course, is used much more frequently.
Whoever has a diploma is a diplomate, but not necessarily a diplomat.
When I was a waitress, whenever someone just asked for a whiskey sour, we automatically served a rye whiskey sour. They has to specify Scotch of bourbon if they wanted that kind.
Have a great day.

Frankie said...

Full disclosure. Not my writing about Boca RATON

I copy and pasted that paragraph from research I did on the web. But it seems plausible. Now to see why Red Stick was named so.

Frankie said...

Ok, well, it's fairly well defined. You see, there was this red stick...

"From there [Manchacq] we went five leagues higher and found very high banks called écorts in that region, and in savage called Istrouma which means red stick [bâton rouge], as at this place there is a post painted red that the savages have sunk there to mark the land line between the two nations, namely: the land of the Bayagoulas which they were leaving and the land of another nation—thirty leagues upstream from the baton rouge—named the Oumas.

The location of the red pole was presumably at Scott's Bluff, on what is now the campus of Southern University.[19] It was reportedly a 30-foot-high (9.1 m) painted pole adorned with fish bones.[20]"

- wiki

Now on to other minutiae.

Lemonade714 said...

For my eyes, Boca Raton is Florida's answer to Newport, Rhode Island. If you want the official HISTORY you can read that link.

Draft and overdraft are still very common terms for checks, and when you are finished with your meal at a restaurant you ask for the check, which is the bill for your meal. We could have had a Sunday puzzle with the Hockey's "hamper or neutralize (an opponent) with one's body or stick" checking" the opponent; then we give our bags to someone to store on the plane, we check them; also the temporary storage of a hat or coat at a restaurant; we use the word check as an integral part of the game of chess; also in Poker when it is our turn and we do not bet we announce "check," when we make a choice on a form we check a box... there may be more.

Sounds like a great birthday celebration C.C.

Nice to see you as an early/late paster Fermat

white rabbit, white rabbit

Anonymous said...

Ok, Lemon. Now, what are the one word equivalents of CHECK for the examples you gave? Hmmm. Then use that word in an unrelated "in the language" phrase. Under 15 letters, please, and pair it with another phrase with a similar count to act as it's partner entry, so symmetry within the grid can be maintained.

Really makes one appreciate the imagination and skill our constructors possess.

Anonymous said...

I’m guessing “curb” in the theme answer has to do with “check”, as in “curb your dog” which can be interpreted as “check on your dog; pick up after your dog.” Yes?

Merriam Webster said...

3 : CHECK, RESTRAINT
a price curb
government policies that are designed to put a curb on spending

Above as a noun.
Below as a verb.

2 : to check or control with or as if with a curb
t
//trying to curb her curiosity

Either could satisfy the theme as another word for check. Well done, Mr. Wilson!

Misty said...

Feeling a little better today, so I got the puzzle done. A perfect Monday, Brock--many thanks! Lots of reasonable fills but still a bit crunchy in the middle. Loved seeing the academic references--DIPLOMA, ELIS, PHI Beta Kappa. My favorite crazy clue was the one for ORATE--deliveries to large groups?! And a fun commentary, as always, Boomer--many thanks for that too. Loved your giving us the Gilligan tune for ISLE: that'll be my earworm for the day.

Have a good week, everyone. I'm hoping for one too.

OwenKL said...

From a news report on Ivanka Trump:
[H]er presence at meetings sometimes "puzzled other participants. The most public manifestation of this was International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde's "impatient side-eye" at Trump when she appeared to try unsuccessfully to add to a conversation between the elected leaders of Britain, France, and Canada.

Spitzboov said...

Hello everyone.

Easy monday. I liked the puzzle but the way the theme worked seemed unduly murky to me.
MILL - German Mühle; L. German Möhl; Dutch molen. (We had milled soap in our motel this weekend.).

VirginiaSycamore said...

Thank you Brock for a lively Monday puzzle. My only complaint was that the theme was too hard. At one point I thought it might have something to do about getting a Bill passed in Congress.

Thanks to Boomer for a great write up. You made the theme more clear, although I still can't see it totally.

When I saw the answer for 67 across was EELER I immediately thought of the word sniggling, which is putting baited hooks into the holes the eels are hiding in. A person who catches eels this way is a "sniggler".

About the All-Star game in Cleveland. The last time it was in Cleveland I was flying back from doing the 4th of July in New York City with a friend. When we landed her son, who picked us up at the airport, was pointing out famous Yankees that had come in on our plane.

Live Well and Prosper,
VS

AnonymousPVX said...


This Monday puzzle had some crunchy clues.

But no issues and

No markovers today.

July 1st and it’s been hot hot hot here and continues to be so...even more than usual.

What I’ve noticed is that even if the high temps are “normal” the low temps are much higher. No cooling off at night feeds the next days heat.

See you tomorrow.

Abejo said...

Good afternoon, folks. Thank you, Brock Wilson, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Boomer, for a fine review.

I zipped through this puzzle. Never even thought about the theme until I finished. Then I looked. They all made sense to me. A DRAFT copy of an article is what you CHECK before you print it or email it.

I see we have SNAPE or a dorm of him again. That is fine. I did not know him the first time. This time I did.

SALLE was unknown. Perps.

I remember RAISA Gorbechav very well when her husband was in power. She came across very well and always seemed to be present with Mikhail.

SIBYLS was unknown. Perps.

Hot here today. Our daughter came over and mowed the front and side yards. I really appreciated that. I am not supposed to do that stuff yet. Maybe next week.

See you tomorrow.

Abejo

( )

Irish Miss said...

Hi Everyone:

Easy, breezy Monday offering. No w/os, no unknowns, and no complaints. It took me a while to understand the theme, but that could be due to a fuzzy, lack-of-sufficient-sleep brain! The theme was well-hidden so the reveal was a surprise. I chuckled seeing Snape again, maybe I'll remember him now.

Thanks, Brock, for a pleasant start to a new month and thanks, Boomer, for your much appreciated commentary and humor. What a nice birthday dinner you prepared for CC's special day.

Misty, glad to hear you're feeling a little better. Darling Dusty is probably glad, also.

Have a great day.

Jayce said...

I liked this puzzle. Didn't really get the theme but it didn't matter. Accidentally put in ACNA and AMTS and it took red letters to find the error.

I like corn meal MUSH as well as the Italian polenta. I also like grits. Corn is amazingly versatile.

Yeah, FATS Domino, FATS Waller, and Minnesota FATS. A bunch of big guys. GORDO is still a common nickname in Mexico. Our former neighbors often called their kid Gordito (Little Fatty).

Re the 737 MAX, I could rant for hours. It really RANKLES me. Bad management decisions, bad design all around. I was in an Air Force Squadron that flew those F101 "Voodoo" fighter-bombers. They were extremely prone to pitch-up, but the pilots were well trained and knew how to fly them without mishap. I say to Boeing, get rid of that Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) entirely and train your pilots properly. Believe me, they can fly those things without stalling; no need for software "that attempts to mimic pitching behavior similar to the [original] Boeing 737", i.e. to convince the pilots into behaving as if they are flying an entirely different aircraft.

I also loved the movie Fargo.

So, the hot weather has arrived. Hello, summer.

Good wishes to you all.

Marge Gunderson said...

I was just reading one those top ten/worst ten list articles that seem ubiquitous these days on the internet.

This specific one was authored by wallethub.com and I have no clue as to their bias so take it for what it's worth. So, the reason I bring it up is that has today's friend Fargo, ND as the the 10th best run city in America with our recent friend Nampa, ID as the best run city. The 10 worst run cities of are no surprise to me so I'll give the veracity of said survey a thumbs up. Since Virginia Beach was the 8th best run city, what say you about the accuracy Jinx?

Wilbur Charles said...

Owen, four poems* , three marks so I'll just make them all A's.

I would credit it to the debacle of Afghanistan where the army was too drunk, disorganized, dis? You name it.

I'd say the omission of Bogaerts is the big scandal. If analytics is to have any value how can they omit the #2 WPA guy.
It's always interesting to rush thru and find downs or across that I missed. For some reason there arise hot clues/answers that reappear for a week or two.

No, this befogged brain can't come up with examples.

Boomer, check out Veterans PGA comp-tickets. I was told the PGA is doing that. (Fla Only?)

WC

* What a bonus. Now to see the J poem

Wilbur Charles said...

Besides SNAPE of course

CrossEyedDave said...

Read the Blog, & the comments,
& still not sure about the Theme...

Actually, I FIW'd. I accidentally inked RABIB instead of rabiD,
I don't know why, but it left me with "beem" instead of "deem."

One reason I enjoy the puzzle & Blog as it takes me
"who knows where" in looking at links and other Trivia.
In looking at "beem," I must have accidentally hit "Urban Dictionary,"
& actually got a definition I was not expecting...

(Where will this crazy Blog take me next?)

Oh, I Know! I thought Arthur Godfrey was Merv Griffins side kick. My mistake. That's Arthur Treacher...

But I did YouTube Godfrey playing Ukulele, (I will spare you...)

So, in trying to research the real Arthur Godfrey (see Wiki),
I found out he got mad at an air traffic controller at Teterboro
and buzzed the Tower in a DC3!

It did result in a little ditty a little more entertaining than playing a Uke...


I did the Sunday puzzle in a new hammock (all cloth, $5-@ 5 below).
Very comfortable, but needs a spreader bar. But never got
to the Blog, and missed CC;s B-day celebration. Nuts!

Sorry if I put my foot in it CC!

Ol' Man Keith said...

HBD to u, C.C.!

A neat Monday pzl from Mr. Wilson.
Fun to do
All the way through.

Glad to know you're feeling better, Misty!
~ OMK
____________
DR:
A couple of diagonals, one to each side.
Neither side offers much in the way of anagrams.
I'll go with the near side, as it allows the option of either a church-goer's investment in his denomination's fortunes, a...
"PIOUS STAKE"
- or -
A beefy meal thrice blessed by his high priest, a...
"PIOUS STEAK"!
(Yuh pays yer money & yuh takes yer cherce.)

PK said...

Jayce: from a knowledgeable source: The two originating countries for the crashed 737 MAXes have no air forces which would provide their pilots with adequate training & valuable experience. The governments there also own the airlines and purchase the planes. The buyers want as much automation as possible to make up for questionable NATIVE pilot credentials and experience. Boeing wants to sell planes and tries to comply. Bad deal all around.

PK said...

Hi Y'all! Fun & fast puzzle, thanks, Brock! Great expo, Boomer!

Didn't get the theme. Okaay!

DRAFT is a word I write in my check register whenever the bank notifies me that it has charged me a fee. Other transactions have notations DEP(osit) or a check number. Unfortunately I do this quite often.

Hot, hot hot! here. Hope it lasts until the wheat is cut. Hot & dry is necessary to dry the grain adequately for harvest & storage.

Spitzboov said...

PK @ 1620 - I've heard the same rationale from one of my very knowledgeable sources. I think Jayce makes a good point.

Happy Canada Day to CanadianEh! and the other neighbors to the North.

Anonymous said...

RIP Tyler Skaggs. 27 years old.

A much too young baseball pitcher from Santa Monica, CA and current Los Angeles Angels' player. It always shocking when such a young person passes in the prime of his life. I can't help but feel for his young wife and his mother who is a well respected and longtime softball coach at Santa Monica High School.

Anonymous T said...

Hi All!

I liked how this puzzle's theme was executed Brock. I also liked the expo Boomer (and I agree re: pepper & MILLs. Thanks both of you.

WO: N/A
ESPs: SIBYLS, RICKMAN [Rich is determined we know everything about SNAPE*], RAISA
Fav: BILL MURRAY xing Army //If only Bill spelled it MaRRAY, then we'd have M.A.S.H above ARMY :-)

{A, B+, B, A}
I like PIOUS STAKE - the pot on Priests' poker night.

Glad to hear you're feeling better Misty.
How was Canada Day, C, Eh!?

This is how I read the them (not as things you check but words meaning check)
Write a bank DRAFT / Write a Check
Test the motor / Check the motor
Waiter, Bill please / Waiter Check please
Curb your enthusiasm / Check yourself.

Cheers, -T
*HG - Plus one more: Thursday we had "1a. Hogwarts professor played by Rickman"

Jinx in Norfolk said...

Marge: Can't disagree with the #8 ranking. I may be a little biased since I have known the long-term mayor (now retired) who brought a business perspective to city decisions. For example, an idiodic light rail project was forced upon the taxpayers by the adjacent Norfolk City Council. It goes nowhere important, and is the heaviest-subsidized light rail in the country. Norfolk wanted Virginia Beach to join in, and VB actually asked the citizens to vote on the huge, expensive project. Surprise, surprise the vote was a resounding NO! Nonbinding, but the City Council actually followed the wishes of the citizens! Unheard of in Norfolk.

CED: I'll look at folks wearing Beemer tee shirts a little differently now.

Wilbur Charles said...

I can see why "Curb Your Enthusiasm " never lasted. Funny, earlier I got linked to a long Seinfeld(Best of?) and was lol'ing.

WC

PK said...

Spitz & Jayce: I agree with the points Jayce made as did my knowledgeable source. I was wanting to add some other points he made to Jayce's comments. I think anyone with military training will understand the importance of adequate training and many hours experience in the cockpit added to well-designed well-maintained aircraft.

Misty said...

Thank you, Ol'Man Keith.

Anonymous T said...

WC - Curb went on for 90 shows. But you're right, it didn't last long with me; funny but too situationaly cringe-y that bent my empathy (Laverne & Shirley but on steroids, if you know what I mean).

Cheers, -T