Theme: Death and ... taxes. The inevitable turns up today to celebrate July 4th. Maybe an odd choice but ...
17A. Meets unexpectedly: BUMPS INTO. Sin Tax. Excise levied on products the experts in the know think you shouldn't be buying. Tobacco, alcohol, etc. What about cheese?
23A. Works with one's private tutor, say: TAKES A LESSON. Sales tax. Getting out of hand here in California. We already have one of the highest ....
34A. Emergency run-through opening: THIS IS JUST A TEST. ... state taxes in the Union.
46A. Utah's state tree: QUAKING ASPEN. I'd never heard of the tree - well, the "quaking" part. We quake when the gas tax is increased, it seems like every budget. Pretty trees though ...
56A. Income-reducing inequity, or what can be found in the four other longest puzzle answers: HIDDEN TAX. I like the "inequity" part of the clue. Tax Freedom day was April 16th this year - the day you stop paying taxes to the Government and start making money for yourself.
Fun theme from Ed, and as usual, a nice grid, tight theme and pleasant fill. Let's see what else we've got:
Across:
1. Settle for leftovers: EAT IN
6. "A revolution is not a dinner party" statesman: MAO
9. Additions to the staff: HIRES. Deductions from the staff: FIRES. Admirable symmetry. Happier to be a hire than a fire.
14. Petting zoo critter: LLAMA. These buggers are nasty, I'm not sure they're really petting zoo candidates, they bite and have an amazing ability to spit.
15. Wayfarer's stop: INN
16. Lexus rival: ACURA
19. Connecting waterway: CANAL
20. Rock band need: AMP. I'd say "amps". Famously, the Rolling Stones brought the bass player Bill Wyman into the band because he owned an amp. I don't think Keith Richard liked him a whole lot, in his autobiography he mentioned Wyman twice - when he joined the band and when he quit. That's about 40 years of total anonymity, which seems unfair.
21. Board game with rooms: CLUE. Colonel Mustard in the Library with the Candlestick. Fun game.
22. Woo with a tune: SING TO
25. Emily Dickinson's hometown: AMHERST. Most of her work was never seen until her death, and even then was heavily edited.
28. Longtime nighttime host: LENO
29. Bread brushed with ghee: NAAN. Food! I usually stick to chapatis with Indian food, the naan are very filling.
30. Zipped: SPED
31. Feathery wrap: BOA
39. Tennis' Andy Murray's title: SIR. Wimbledon started this week, so very apt. By the way, it's "Wimbledon" with a "D", not "Wimbleton". Thank you.
40. Bud: CHUM
41. Sign of holiness: HALO
42. Facial tissue?: SKIN
43. Opposite of engagement: BOREDOM
50. When many workdays start: AT NINE. Mine usually kicks off at six - timezone issues with head office.
51. Said, "The dog ate my homework," probably: LIED. I'd love to know what the reaction is if your dog really ate your homework and you tried that excuse?
52. Notable period: ERA
55. Church offering: TITHE. Is it 5% of what you make? Seems a lot.
58. Fake handle: ALIAS
59. Many a Monopoly sq.: AVE. From memory, the British Monopoly board has only one - Northumberland Avenue, just off Trafalgar Square. When I visit London, my go-to hotel is on that street.
60. "Live at the Acropolis" keyboardist: YANNI. Who? Thank you, crosses.
61. Takes it easy: RESTS
62. "Let's do it!": YES!
63. Mild oath: EGADS!
Down:
1. Idris of "Luther": ELBA
2. College benefactor: ALUM
3. Pack (down): TAMP
4. Little dickens: IMP
5. Brickyard 400 acronym: NASCAR. I just saw an interview with Tony Stewart on Dan Patrick's Audience Network show. He was asked "What p*sses you off?" and after the "How long do we have?" response, he said, as the show was taped in LA - "Anyone that drives a Prius", I had to give a golf clap to that response.
6. Courtly dance: MINUET
7. Pays for a hand: ANTES. Poker. Ante up, people.
8. Middle name adopted by John Lennon: ONO
9. Mexicali mansion: HACIENDA
10. "Just you watch me": I CAN SO. Hopefully not ending in tears.
11. Steps up a ladder: RUNGS
12. Poetry Muse: ERATO
13. Place for a makeover: SALON
18. Sorts: ILKS
22. Icy forecast: SLEET
23. Change for a 50: TENS
24. "Heidi" setting: ALPS
25. Armadillo meal: ANTS
26. When repeated, fish on a menu: MAHI
27. Tresses: HAIR
30. Dim __: traditional Chinese food: SUM. I think we had a discussion about this a couple of weeks ago. The last time we were in the UK, we found a dim sum restaurant with a completely gluten-free menu, to the delight of my friend who can't eat wheat. It was worth every bite.
31. Spot on a sweater?: BEAD
32. Peace Prize city: OSLO
33. Minute matter: ATOM
35. Gross quality: ICKINESS
36. Stand out: SHINE
37. Freud contemporary: JUNG
38. If so: THEN
42. Schusser's topper: SKI HAT "Schuss" is the downhill ski tuck position, not turns, just get down as fast as you can.
43. They're usually not hits: B-SIDES. I think the Beatles might argue this, some of their b-sides were more successful than the "A"'s. Here's an example!
44. Columnist's page: OP-ED
45. Overnight flight: RED-EYE. I've experienced plenty of these, absolutely horrible, I refuse to fly red-eyes as much as possible
46. Saudi Arabia's neighbor: QATAR
47. Of practical value: UTILE. I Like this word, and resolve to use it more often.
48. Voices against: ANTIS
49. Vibrant: ALIVE
52. Italian peak: ETNA
53. McNally's mapmaking partner: RAND. Did you know that Mason and Dixon, who plotted the line, were both British? One was a mapmaker, the other an astronomer.
54. Geometric reference line: AXIS
56. __ fever: HAY
57. Scraggly horse: NAG
I think that might be it from me today. Under a time-crunch, so maybe not a lot of color today, for which my apologies. However, here's the grid with some theme-color to make up for it.
Steve
17A. Meets unexpectedly: BUMPS INTO. Sin Tax. Excise levied on products the experts in the know think you shouldn't be buying. Tobacco, alcohol, etc. What about cheese?
23A. Works with one's private tutor, say: TAKES A LESSON. Sales tax. Getting out of hand here in California. We already have one of the highest ....
34A. Emergency run-through opening: THIS IS JUST A TEST. ... state taxes in the Union.
46A. Utah's state tree: QUAKING ASPEN. I'd never heard of the tree - well, the "quaking" part. We quake when the gas tax is increased, it seems like every budget. Pretty trees though ...
56A. Income-reducing inequity, or what can be found in the four other longest puzzle answers: HIDDEN TAX. I like the "inequity" part of the clue. Tax Freedom day was April 16th this year - the day you stop paying taxes to the Government and start making money for yourself.
Fun theme from Ed, and as usual, a nice grid, tight theme and pleasant fill. Let's see what else we've got:
Across:
1. Settle for leftovers: EAT IN
6. "A revolution is not a dinner party" statesman: MAO
9. Additions to the staff: HIRES. Deductions from the staff: FIRES. Admirable symmetry. Happier to be a hire than a fire.
14. Petting zoo critter: LLAMA. These buggers are nasty, I'm not sure they're really petting zoo candidates, they bite and have an amazing ability to spit.
15. Wayfarer's stop: INN
16. Lexus rival: ACURA
19. Connecting waterway: CANAL
20. Rock band need: AMP. I'd say "amps". Famously, the Rolling Stones brought the bass player Bill Wyman into the band because he owned an amp. I don't think Keith Richard liked him a whole lot, in his autobiography he mentioned Wyman twice - when he joined the band and when he quit. That's about 40 years of total anonymity, which seems unfair.
21. Board game with rooms: CLUE. Colonel Mustard in the Library with the Candlestick. Fun game.
22. Woo with a tune: SING TO
25. Emily Dickinson's hometown: AMHERST. Most of her work was never seen until her death, and even then was heavily edited.
28. Longtime nighttime host: LENO
29. Bread brushed with ghee: NAAN. Food! I usually stick to chapatis with Indian food, the naan are very filling.
30. Zipped: SPED
31. Feathery wrap: BOA
39. Tennis' Andy Murray's title: SIR. Wimbledon started this week, so very apt. By the way, it's "Wimbledon" with a "D", not "Wimbleton". Thank you.
40. Bud: CHUM
41. Sign of holiness: HALO
42. Facial tissue?: SKIN
43. Opposite of engagement: BOREDOM
50. When many workdays start: AT NINE. Mine usually kicks off at six - timezone issues with head office.
51. Said, "The dog ate my homework," probably: LIED. I'd love to know what the reaction is if your dog really ate your homework and you tried that excuse?
52. Notable period: ERA
55. Church offering: TITHE. Is it 5% of what you make? Seems a lot.
58. Fake handle: ALIAS
59. Many a Monopoly sq.: AVE. From memory, the British Monopoly board has only one - Northumberland Avenue, just off Trafalgar Square. When I visit London, my go-to hotel is on that street.
60. "Live at the Acropolis" keyboardist: YANNI. Who? Thank you, crosses.
61. Takes it easy: RESTS
62. "Let's do it!": YES!
63. Mild oath: EGADS!
Down:
1. Idris of "Luther": ELBA
2. College benefactor: ALUM
3. Pack (down): TAMP
4. Little dickens: IMP
5. Brickyard 400 acronym: NASCAR. I just saw an interview with Tony Stewart on Dan Patrick's Audience Network show. He was asked "What p*sses you off?" and after the "How long do we have?" response, he said, as the show was taped in LA - "Anyone that drives a Prius", I had to give a golf clap to that response.
6. Courtly dance: MINUET
7. Pays for a hand: ANTES. Poker. Ante up, people.
8. Middle name adopted by John Lennon: ONO
9. Mexicali mansion: HACIENDA
10. "Just you watch me": I CAN SO. Hopefully not ending in tears.
11. Steps up a ladder: RUNGS
12. Poetry Muse: ERATO
13. Place for a makeover: SALON
18. Sorts: ILKS
22. Icy forecast: SLEET
23. Change for a 50: TENS
24. "Heidi" setting: ALPS
25. Armadillo meal: ANTS
26. When repeated, fish on a menu: MAHI
27. Tresses: HAIR
30. Dim __: traditional Chinese food: SUM. I think we had a discussion about this a couple of weeks ago. The last time we were in the UK, we found a dim sum restaurant with a completely gluten-free menu, to the delight of my friend who can't eat wheat. It was worth every bite.
31. Spot on a sweater?: BEAD
32. Peace Prize city: OSLO
33. Minute matter: ATOM
35. Gross quality: ICKINESS
36. Stand out: SHINE
37. Freud contemporary: JUNG
38. If so: THEN
42. Schusser's topper: SKI HAT "Schuss" is the downhill ski tuck position, not turns, just get down as fast as you can.
43. They're usually not hits: B-SIDES. I think the Beatles might argue this, some of their b-sides were more successful than the "A"'s. Here's an example!
44. Columnist's page: OP-ED
45. Overnight flight: RED-EYE. I've experienced plenty of these, absolutely horrible, I refuse to fly red-eyes as much as possible
46. Saudi Arabia's neighbor: QATAR
47. Of practical value: UTILE. I Like this word, and resolve to use it more often.
48. Voices against: ANTIS
49. Vibrant: ALIVE
52. Italian peak: ETNA
53. McNally's mapmaking partner: RAND. Did you know that Mason and Dixon, who plotted the line, were both British? One was a mapmaker, the other an astronomer.
54. Geometric reference line: AXIS
56. __ fever: HAY
57. Scraggly horse: NAG
I think that might be it from me today. Under a time-crunch, so maybe not a lot of color today, for which my apologies. However, here's the grid with some theme-color to make up for it.
Steve
57 comments:
Chapati (also known as roti) is very popular in Thai street food as well. These are both soft versions of matzo. It was nice to see some food for Steve.
Dr. Ed always entertains, but this was pretty easy for a Thursday. Tithing is 10% Steve, it comes from Leviticus in the Torah where man is to set aside 10% of his agricultural harvest as a subsidy for the Levites who assisted the temple priests.
YANNI is fairly common fill, used by Dr. Ed before as well as C.C. and marti.
Thank you, Steve and Ed.
Happy ____th all
FIR in 28:48 min.
Happy Independence Day everyone!
Thank you Ed Sessa for this enjoyable Thursday CW.
Thank you Steve for your excellent review.
Ðave
Steve,
Just asking, as a Prius owner, huh?
Good morning!
Wow, this one went fast. Changed FEE to TAX and CAP to HAT, and it was finished. Once again, d-o failed to read the complete reveal clue, and as a result, failed to get the theme. Thanx, Ed and Steve.
"Wimbleton" -- I distinctly heard the NBC Anchorwoman say that twice in last night's newscast.
"Naan" -- From Steve's write-up I take it that the plural of naan is naan. Learning moment.
John E, Steve was giving the comment a raspberry or Bronx cheer.
We've got a parade scheduled today in our town. Only a handful of the entries decorate for the event. But it's a good excuse to turn off the TV...for the entire day.
Sorry despardo, you are incorrect. A golf clap is not a raspberry nor a Bronx cheer. Rather it is an subdued acknowledgment or quiet atta boy one might see from a crowd on a golf green after a well executed putt.
My take on Steve's atta biy to what Tony Stewart told Dan Patrick: it's not the Prius that p*sses off Mr. Stewart nor was he saying people shouldn't do their part to be nice to the environment. Rather is is the PEOPLE who drive the Prius that upset him. My guess is because of their holier-than-thou attitude with their judgmental looks and "why aren't you doing your part" demands that caused Tony Stewart to Jokingly bring the point up in a entertainment driven interview.
And with Steve living in L.A. where he witnesses the hypocrisy of Prius owners daily, he was only giving Tony a quiet little clap to thank him for his recognition of the fact.
John E.'s overreaction to the tongue in cheek comments by Tony Stewart and Steve humoursly confirm the behavior of Prious owners he, they and I observe. Golf clap to them, us.
FIR, but like DO had to change cap to HAT, and had to fix EReTe.
Hidden taxes make me grit my teeth. I worked in VZ's IT department when Al Gore's library tax was enacted. When we added the tax to our customers' bills as a new line item, Washington reacted as if we had just stolen the Lindbergh baby. We had to hide that tax IMMEDIATELY! (Of course corporations don't PAY taxes, they just COLLECT taxes and remit them.)
When GTE moved its headquarters from Stamford to Dallas some wag had bumper stickers made that proclaimed "the only two sure things are death and Texas". (Some thought the two were the equivalent.)
Thanks for the fun, easy puzzle, Ed. And thanks to Steve for the review. Today we celebrate England's silver medal in the 1776 American Games.
Bill, I think of Prius drivers in the way Stephan Pastis draws bicycle riders in Pearls Before Swine. WAY better than you, and NEVER consider the traffic backup they cause. (But I am thawing on bikers. I actually saw one stop at a stop sign not more than two weeks ago.)
Bill, the Urban Dictionary and Wise Geek disagree. I guess we need Steve to jump in here and 'splain what he meant.
Yeah, I suppose it is wise not to speak for other people, eh?
Funny that we now use Urban Dictionary as reference material.
I do think is is funny how ex-pat Steve gave us a little British invasion music on our celebration of America day*. I thought, jokes on him because that song is owned by an American. A little research, however, show that Sir McCartney has negotiated a private deal with Sony ATV and may again own his own music. But still, the Michael Jackson deal that brought that music across the pond earned his heirs a hefty sum. At least 100 million or so.
So USA wins again. What the record now? With the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and the the women's world cup from this week it's at least 3 and 0. And we have Steve also. So we got that going for us, which is nice. (Another golf reference)
*dont get me started on why I think it is ok to still celebrate Independence Day and be proud of our flag(s) and our country.
I agree Bill of rights with your last point.
It would he nice, for one day, just one day please, if Americans would he allowed to celebrate without all the naysayers out there. An American Pride day, if you will.
Yes America has faults. It has warts, BIG warts. Our leaders are flawed. ALL of them. They're divided. They make decisions based purely on politics and money. Not for the good of our people or the people we harbor or fight for. But for themselves and their political parties. But still...
We are a great nation. One who protects the world's waterways. The Strait of Hormuz, Suez and Panama Canals. The waters off the
coast of the horn of Africa. We provide aid and comfort to all when natural disasters strike. We police the world's dictators and champion human rights. We makes immense strides in technology and medicine which provide a higher quality of life for the world population. We give to charity more than any country. Our citizens volunteer in every corner of the world providing aid and comfort to those unable to help themselves. I could go on and on and on.
Just one day, please. Can I wave my flag? Wear red, white and blue? Eat a hot dog, some apple pie and watch the fireworks while listening to a volunteer band playing America The Beautiful? Without the grumbling of somebody pointing at the ugly knots in my flag and saying "look at those ugly things"? Just one day?
Good morning everyone.
Thanks, Steve. Always a good intro.
Just a wee bit of crunch; I had to get my traction start with 14a. But perps quickly took care of business. Overall, quite easy for a Thursday. Looked for the theme imbeds after seeing the reveal @ HIDDEN TAX.
"“I am APT to believe that it [this day] will be celebrated by succeeding generations, as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn actions of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward forever more.”
John Adams - writing to his wife, Abigail, a day after the vote for independence by the Continental Congress.
Happy Fourth, Everyone.
Good Morning:
This was on the breezy side for a Thursday, but it was right up my alley with the well-hidden theme and a wonderful Aha reveal. Thanks to Rich and Mr. Ed for trusting us to parse the taxes sans circles. I had Che before Mao (DO-type error, not reading the "statesman" in the clue; not sure Mao fits the clue, either), and Shaking before Quaking, which Qatar took care of quickly. I thought Hacienda was just a word for house, not necessarily a Mansion. I thought the Change for a fifty=Tens a tad off but maybe that's just me. My favorite C/A was Facial tissue=Skin. CSO to Dudley at Amherst and to CED and Jinx at Imp.
Thanks, Dr. Ed, for a fun and swift solve and thanks, Steve, for your gracious tour and commentary. Despite your times constraints, it was appreciated.
Misty, I hope the new meds are helping. Feel better soon.
Happy Independence Day to all and God Bless America. 🇺🇸
Moved straight through this Monday like puzzle without a skip or a stop. I couldn't dredge up YANNI, but it was quickly filled with perps.
I am glad it was NAAN and not CHAPATI, which I just learned about today.
Our dalmatian puppy liked to chew. Our dog ate my paycheck. When I took in the remaining snippets of it to ask for a replacement you can imagine how I was razzed. Gypsy also tried to digest my science reference book and chewed the corner off the cover.
This is a quiet day for me. Alan is picnicking with his housemates. David and his family are down the shore. Alan and I will have a patio picnic here on Saturday. Tonight I will watch "A Capitol Fourth Concert" on PBS.
Whenever I see picnicking I recall our principal's nasty trick. After the Pledge of Allegiance on the speaker system, he asked the teachers to go to the board and write picnicking. Many were embarrassed that they missed the K. I had recently seen it in print, so no prob, but I thought that it was dirty pool.
I love the name, QUAKING ASPENS. The lovely leaves shimmer in the breeze.
Misty, sorry your ordeal is lasting so long. Feel better soon. Could it be an allergy?
Hi Gang -
I never blog Thursdays, but I was happy not to have to deal with this one. Even sussing the theme I could not find either SIN or GAS.
Nice job, Ed and Steve.
Our concerts in Kellogg Park, Plymouth, MI are on Thursdays. Every year we play all sorts of Americana and patriotic music on the Thursday on or before the 4th. This year it's on. I am far, far from being a flag waving nationalist, but I love this concert. It's the one to not miss. If you're in the area, stop by, step up to the band stand and say hello. I'll be wearing a red shirt and will buy you an ice cream cone after.
The first part of the concert varies year to year, but the finale is always the same -- America the Beautiful, John Williams' Olympic Fanfare, Amed Forces Salute [A medley of all their themes] and God Bless the USA. We play these continuously, with no break between selections. It's a challenge to wrestle all the music around, especialy if there is a breeze. Then we finish with The Stars and Strips Forever, my favorite Sousa march.
Yes we are a great country, and yes, we are deeply flawed. That is just reality.
Let's respect the rules of this blog and remember that this is not the place to get into partisan political discussions.
Cool regards, and Happy Independence Day
JzB
Musings¬
-California’s GAS TAX means they pay, on average, $1/gal. more than the rest of the country
-John Adams agreeing with Chairman MAO
-Step aside Napoleon exile site, there’s a new ELBA in town
-Our only REDEYE flight was on a New Year’s Eve from Honolulu to LA. The crew turned on the lights and wished us Happy New Year when we entered the correct time zone and then quickly turned them off
Good Morning.
Thanks, Ed, for a successful morning with ink on paper. I did much better than yesterday, although I have to admit my fave today was the c/a for BEAD. When I think of sweater, I think wool! I like being fooled like that. Ah ha!
Thanks, Steve, for the tour especially under your time constraints. There is a street in a nearby town named "Wimbleton." No proof readers apparently.
GAS tax in Illinois doubled on 7/1 form $.19 to $.38. . . . not raised since 1990. The reason DH thinks our HOA fees should rise a bit every year.
I guess I am not a very angry person, but I thought Stewart's comment was funny. What guy who drives a Indy car for a living would consider a Prius. Kind of like astronauts all drove Corvettes not Ford Falcons--our first car. (RIP Lee Iacocca). Speed must be addictive. Okay, okay. I'll admit it. I like to drive fast. Sometimes even 40 in a 35.
Luckily, we live a a place with free speech. I am happy to be here--knotty flag and all.
Have a sunny day. I hope it doesn't rain on your parade, whatever form it takes.
Hello fellow cornerites. Usually I just lurk but thought I link the following for the fans of baseball and America.
Tom Archdeacon article
Happy FOURTH of July all!
Having the B already, I thought of a spot on a sweater/BEAD and pictured this:
Link text
Immediately after that I realized the clue meant a bead of sweat on a sweating person, but my first thought was more pleasant. I have several beaded sweaters.
Leisurely morning solve with the holiday - our town is small enough that we don't have a newspaper on major holidays, so I'm glad CC links us to the on-line experience. Our town is also small enough that I have no idea what Steve is talking about in LA with Prius drivers!
Being the capital, we are the hub for all the surrounding communities for 4th of July festivities. Very small town Americana - but the next size up- there are four stages playing different types of music all day, before a big concert and fireworks tonight. Everything had to be rearranged though because of a huge renovation project of the capitol- that is supposed to done for the state's bicentennial next year.
Creative solve with nice puzzle - what we expect with for an Ed Sessa puzzle and this did not disappoint!
Thanks Steve and Ed!
Here's a great song for the day: Hank Williams Jr's The USA Today.
God Bless America
Cheers!
JzB
FLN,
Anon-T, you know me well...
(Except that the video was pulled for copyright
which left me pulling my hair out!)
here it is again.
Breezed thru this Thursday puzzle, but totally forgot
to look for the theme... Maybe I do need the circles?
I did have a slow down at 4d, little Dickens,
because I really wanted "Tim."
ANywho,
this puzzle, combined with my annoyance at The Star Ledger
for dropping Constructor names, gave me an idea...
A tithe is 10%.According to the Online Etymology Dictionary is comes from a old Saxon wEveryonw have a great 4th.
The United States National Anthem
Cheers!
JzB
Hola! Happy Independence Day!!!!!
Thank you, Ed Sessa and Steve. I love starting the grid with an image of Idris ELBA! Equally, I love hearing about Emily Dickinson's home town, ANHERST. She had a rare ability to write pithy, concise poetry of which I have a complete volume.
And I agree that a LLAMA is not exactly a petting zoo animal. They are nasty!
CSO to Bill G at TAKES A LESSON, tutoring. And CSO to Owen at ERATO.
While in California I saw a great number of PRIUS, more than I see here. My friend, Kathy, drives one and she shows no sign of superiority. It gets fantastic mileage. Who could blame them for bragging?
Have a happy, joyful, fun-filled day, everyone! We live in the best country in the world. Let's appreciate and celebrate that.
oops. Correction: AMHERST.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Ed Sessa! I got this entire, great, Thursday puzzle without a single error or erasure! Yay! And I even got all the HIDDEN TAXes, even though I've never heard of a SIN tax. What a great way to start a day near the end of the week. My favorite clue answer was "I LIED" (Dusty would never eat anyone's homework). The QUAKING ASPEN was clever too. Again, thanks, Ed--and I always enjoy your comments, Steve.
Thanks for the kind wishes, Irish Miss and Yellowrocks. The doctor I saw yesterday actually does think that an allergy has been causing at least part of my problems. But things are getting much better, so I'm hoping for a good next week.
Have a great day, everybody!
Stars and Stripes
That's it for me today. Heading to the park soon.
Concert is at 7:30. We like to hang out in the park on a nice afternoon.
Happy Independence Day, everyone.
JzB
Regarding the Prius comment, Tony went on to say "... because anyone who owns a Prius and sits in the fast lane AT the speed limit p*sses me off. They must not have mirrors in Priuses". It might be a broad generalization, but anyone who regularly drives the LA freeways recognizes the truth in it :)
Forgot to wish everyone a Happy Fourth-of-July! We're so lucky to be Americans, especially those of us who came from other countries.
And I forgot to say how happy I was that you and your wife were able to enjoy a cook-out, after her arrival home from the hospital, Ol'Man Keith. Have a lovely day, today.
One thing that wasn't TAXed today was crossword solvers' brains. Super easy puzzle, especially for a Thursday.
AMHERST was an unknown but it was filled by perps very rapidly.
attention Johe E.--- Prius- voted the most 'anti-chick' car ever for a man to drive. My former nextdoor neighbor with TWO Lamborghinis had women always coming on to him, even with his wife in the car. When he parked in front of MY door, I loved it when people asked me how it drove, which I never did. But I did get to drive his Aston Martin. Never heard of a 'golf clap'.
Betsy Ross- I just order a tee-shirt yesterday that has YOUR FLAG, with 13 stars in a circle, printed on the front and back.
Misty- SIN taxes- alcohol & tobacco
Too late today to bother with l'icks, so here's a Masonic cartoon I made that's apropos to one of today's clues. There's also this one, but if you're not a Mason it will probably go over your head.
Big Easy, thanks for explaining SIN tax to me--that makes perfect sense.
Happy Independence Day!
Thanks Ed for a fine puzzle (if not a tad easy for a Thursday) and thank you Steve for the expo (love Penny Lane!).
I'm proud when I begrudgingly pay my TAXes and make my contribution to what we agreed then was important.
WO: N/A
ESPs: JUNG, ELBA
Fav: B SIDES . These are the flip-side of the big professional security conferences.
I liked the cartoons OKL.
Jinx - I had to steal your Silver metal comment; too funny. I texted it to my family.
All those Prius just got shook - M6.4 in SoCal. Everyone out there OK?
Cheers, -T
This seemed a bit easier than the usual Thursday puzzle.
As a result,
No markovers today.
I believe the typical tithe amount is 10%.
I think the animals in the petting zoos are Alpacas, not Llamas, they like to spit.
I don’t believe either side won the war of 1812. Although the native tribes definitely lost.
Enjoy the 4th, see you tomorrow.
Until I read Yellowrock's comment, I did not make the connection between "sweater" and "one who perspires." None of my sweaters are BEADed.
Idris ELBA is another popular culture name I recognize, but have no idea who it is.
As usual, although I got all the answers, I didn't see the hidden theme words.
AnonT, thanks for asking. The earthquake was located about 100 miles NE of here in a relatively unpopulated area in the Mojave desert. The hanging lights over our pool table were swinging.
Happy Independence Day!
I liked this puzzle. Zipped through it pretty quickly and didn't see some of the down clues/answers until afterward. I had NINE AM at first, which was close but of course didn't work. In my world, at least in my world before I retired, a 9 to 5 job was really more like 8 to 6. Eventually, in order to avoid the rush hour traffic, and thanks to flexible hours, my workday became a 10 to 7 routine. So glad I don't have to get up to go to an office any more. I bet the alarm in my alarm clock doesn't even work any more. (I just checked, and it does still work.)
I actually knew YANNI. ETNA made me think of the big Stromboli eruption yesterday. Wait'll Vesuvius blows; what with Naples so close by, the property damage and loss of life will be huge.
I love QUAKING ASPEN trees.
HIRES made me think of root beer. Now I crave a glass of "Not Your Father's" root beer. Dang, I'm too easily influenced.
LW and I were "given" a Prius to use as a loaner car while our car was "in the shop." It took a bit of effort to get used to, as its controls are not totally standard. The heads up display was pretty cool, though. For me it is too small and it felt very much like a "tin can."
JazzBumpa, thanks for the links (musical, not sausage).
God bless America, warts and all.
Quite a cluster of quakes out there in Mojave land! Plenty of aftershocks after that 6.2 shaker. I say good! Multiple smaller seisms release the stress so it doesn't build up enough to cause a BIG ONE.
d-o, isn't the plural of naan, naaaan?
Felt the earthquake here in Yuma, AZ we are on the CA/Mex. border.
Jace - I met a guy while camping who had owned a Prius. I told him that because they are so quiet when operating in electric mode that I didn't hear one coming and almost got run over. He responded "I hope you didn't total it!" He couldn't get used to the flimsy feeling of the car and traded it in on something more substantial.
Terrific Thursday. Thanks for the fun, Ed and Steve.
This CW filled quickly and I saw the HIDDEN TAXes.
Obviously, this Canadian does not have a STATE TAX. We have HST (Harmonized SALES Tax) which combines Provincial & Federal Taxes on merchandise/services. Plus Federal and Provincial Income Taxes.
Hand up for thinking of a shiny bead on a knit sweater (not perspiration)!
Andy Murray was an Ace before perps changed it to SIR.
Ichiness corrected itself to ICKINESS as Chin morphed to Shin (not on the face!) and finally to SKIN!
Stay safe all of our California Cornerites (and those like Yuman on the edges).
Wishing all my American friends a happy Independence Day.
Jayce,
I just watched the USGS/Caltech press briefing about the 6.4 earthquake. They seemed generally relieved at where, how, when and why it happened. So far, so good, relatively speaking. As far a the inevitable occurrence goes it could have been much, much worse. I'm knocking on wood as I type this.
But I came here to convet to how fascinating the field you were or are still in. The map and graphs they had and the detailed explanations they gave had me on the edge of my seat.
Just...
a little...
July 4th...
Humor.
Greetings!'
Thanks to Ed and Steve!
Only a few perps; MAO, AMHERST, SKI HAT and YANNI.
Hope you are all having a happy fourth!
While driving a friend's Prius, I stopped for a stop sign and thought I had killed the engine somehow. Total silence. When a Prius or Tesla comes rolling down our street, it doesn't sound any quieter than other cars. It's the tire noise that seems to dominate in a moving car.
HAPPY FOURTH, everybody!
And thanks for the kind words, Misty! Let me chime in on the pro-immigrant note today!
On the one hand I take a certain pride in tracing my family back to pre-Revolutionary days, to founding families in Connecticut and New York. But I also realize I would not be here were it not for my grandmother--my mom's Welsh mother--a plucky lass who at the age of 19 sailed around the Horn to San Francisco where she met & married the 1st generation son of a Cornish miner.
In 1918 they lived in Sacramento where they had a baby, my mother.
Sadly, both died in the Great Influenza epidemic, leaving my mom to be raised by her dad's sister and her husband, my "Grandpa" Charlie.
I never got to know my Welsh-Cornish grandparents. I have one photo of the ever-youthful pair that I treasure.
I thank my stars for my immigrant grandparents.
A clever pzl from Mr. Sessa. I suppose the TAX theme is somewhat appropriate on our independence Day. At least we are taxing ourselves, not paying tribute to a foreign entity.
Right?
~ OMK
____________
DR: A fireworks of a 3-Way today! Shot from right to left.
The central diagonal offers a bizarre anagram. I don't know quite what it means, but it seems to be a tribute (why on earth?!) to loose-drip, less-viscous saliva, or...
"RUNNIER SPIT"!
Eew...
OMK - Your (and Misty's) rumination on immigrant status/Grands reminded me... DW was at Ellis Island two weeks ago and found my Great-Gramp's records.
Proud to be an American that accepts "[...] your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."
Cheers, -T
//RUNNIER SPIT(?) - Hydration needed!
OMK, I lost my grandfather in the 1918 epidemic. My father, an only child, was 4. My grandmother married three more times, outliving them all. Maybe someone should have checked that dandelion wine.
Interesting how some people can distort and misinterpret what they read due to bias. They offer more heat than light.
My family tree also includes a branch through Ellis Island but it was the other "I" country. Discrimination by the the other immigrants being protective of their jobs drove them to drop the "O'" from their last name and move west. One of the 3 brothers' boat had an outbreak of flu and the entire ship was quarantined ala Vito Andolini from Corleone. That branch of the family ended up in Massachusetts. I'm grateful for this twist of fate as I prefer where I grew up. The process was otherwise orderly and we have detailed records of all three brothers entry.
The great tradition continues with the Somalis in Minneapolis, the Iraqis in Detroit and the Cubans in Miami. I heard there is a small population of Sudanse refugees in Omaha but I cannot confirm.
I guess my point is the welcoming arms of America still exist.
My daughter loved her Prius until an old man in a Ford F250 pickup T-boned the stopped Prius. He was only going about 15 miles an hour, crossed into the wrong lane and the Prius was crushed. (The guy's license had been revoked earlier.) Now she drives a big 20 yr. old sedan which won't crumple quite as easily.
Good evening, folks. Thank you, Ed Sessa, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Steve, for a fine review.
I got through this fairly easily after participating in three parades today. I was pooped. However, it was a good puzzle.
Liked the theme. We all just love taxes.
This evening we went to the park district to watch the annual fireworks and skydivers. It was all a very good show.
Since I am so tired I am cashing in my chips early.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
( )
My family arrived by way of the southern border with the conquistadores. Many Sandovals are recorded in the archives in Santa Fe starting in the early 1600s. Those who arrived here settled in long before Arizona and New Mexico became states and all spoke Spanish.
I have often been a passenger in my friend's Prius which she has owned for ten years and find it comfortable. Luckily, she has never been hit or been in any accident.
Anon T & Jinx ~
Nice to know that fellow Corner-ites overlap details of my own past.
Thanks for sharing!
~ OMK
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