google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Monday January 31, 2022 Will Tobias

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Jan 31, 2022

Monday January 31, 2022 Will Tobias

Theme: GIS (70. USO show audience ... and a hint to the answers to starred clues)

20. *The Bible's golden calf, e.g.: GRAVEN IMAGE.

26. *Giving a higher mark than students deserve: GRADE INFLATION.

48. *It's not always the same as one's assigned sex at birth: GENDER IDENTITY.

56. *Intuition, often: GUT INSTINCT.

Boomer here.  

GI stands for Government Issue.  It's been a long time since I wore some of those clothes.  However I did finish with my Government Issue Radiation last Friday. I sure hope it will produce the desired result. 

Let's see? Coming to a TV set near you! Winter Olympics and a Super Bowl. Not even a COVID pandemic can cancel these money makers. 

 Across:

1. Relaxing retreat: SPA.  Never been to one.  I do have a recliner in the basement of our home.

4. Picket line crosser: SCAB.  Nasty slang.  Sometimes I get one underneath a Band-Aid.

8. Tied, as sneakers: LACED.  I remember Government Issued Combat boots.  Took about ten minutes to lace them up. 

13. Work like heck: TOIL. A la Elon Musk.



15. Arrived: CAME.  Got there.

16. Old piano key material: IVORY.  Soap that floats!

17. European car brand that sounds sort of like a Western greeting: AUDI.  Young Mr. Doody ?

18. Ordered like dictionary words: ALPHABETIC.  Long word for an Across answer.

22. Sound of fear: EEK.

23. Roadside haven: INN.

24. About 1/2000th of a euro, in 2002: LIRA.  I never really learned the value of the LIRA.

33. Slimy substance: GOO.

34. Dolphin family "killer": ORCA.

35. Inventor Otis: ELISHA.  Also the first name of Mr. Gray who invented the telephone within hours of Alexander Graham Cracker Bell.  Mr. Bell beat Mr. Gray to the patent office by a matter of minutes.  Mr. Bell suggested that his invention be answered "Ahoy".  Mr. Gray suggested "Good Morning Graybar!"



36. Roman moon goddess: LUNA.

38. Tease: KID.

40. Site of Napoleon's exile: ELBA.  Elba was indeed the site of Napoleon's exile.  But it also happens to be a small town in Minnesota.

41. Where Amin ruled: UGANDA.

44. Puffin relatives: AUKS.  You may call it an AUK if you like, but it looks like a penguin to me.


47. Geological time span: EON.  Half a billion years. The time it will take the Vikings to win a Super Bowl.

51. What a coach gives a base runner: SIGN.

52. Corn unit: EAR.  Well-known at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota.


53. Suffix with script: URE.

62. Cape Cod and Baja: PENINSULAS.  I usually think of Florida.

64. Former Neet rival: NAIR. Neet is now Veet. I just use a razor.

65. Two in a deck: DEUCE.  Actually there are four in every deck.

66. Evening, in ads: NITE.  NIGHT did not fit I guess.

67. Required bet: ANTE.  I think the ANTE actually precedes the betting.

68. Rubbed out, gang-style: OFFED.

69. NBA conference: EAST.

Down: 

1. Male deer: STAG.  They're the ones with the Antlers.

2. Serve the wine, say: POUR.  No thank you.  I never liked WINE.

3. Verdi classic: AIDA.

4. Medical diagnostic device: SCANNER.  Yup, I know what these are.  I have had MRIs, CT scans, and bone Scans. MRIs are the biggest hassles,  and I have another one coming up very soon.

5. Colombian metropolis: CALI.


6. Alarm clock toggle: AM PM.  I usually can figure it out by looking out the window.

7. On __ of: representing: BEHALF.

8. Loose, like a translation: LIBERAL.

9. D.C.'s Pennsylvania, e.g.: AVE.  1600 is the White House.

10. Pigeon shelter: COTE.

11. Shallowest Great Lake: ERIE.  Lake ERIE is the 4th largest Great Lake 

12. Flemish painter Sir Anthony van __: DYCK.

14. Wife of Augustus: LIVIA.

19. Light-footed: AGILE.  I used to be fairly AGILE.  But then I got old.

21. Prefix with scope: ENDO.

25. "It's __": "Nobody wins": A TIE.  It's what I wear to the Graybar banquets.



26. Charge triple, say: GOUGE.  Gasoline around here is a little over $3.00 per gallon.  Of course I remember the 60's when it was around .30 cents.

27. Journalist Farrow: RONAN. Mia's son.


28. "Disgusting!": ICK.  YUCK did not fit.

29. Water nymph: NAIAD.

30. Speck in the ocean: ISLET.  Sounds like Hawaii?

31. "That's exciting!": OH BOY.  Alan Sherman - "We'd like to know what you think"  OH BOY.  Thunderbirds and Cadillacs, OH BOY !! April 15 Income Tax  OH BOY.

32. Indian bread: NAAN.

33. Water cooler sound: GLUG.

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

39. Payable now: DUE.  Income Tax is coming soon.  They expect payments of taxes due before the refunds are coming out.

42. Condescended: DEIGNED.  "Deign to be great !!"

43. Jason's shipbuilder: ARGUS. "Jason and the Argonauts".



45. Israeli parliament: KNESSET.

46. RBI or ERA: STAT.  Wins, Losses, Strikeouts, Walks, Stolen Bases, Baseball has more stats than football games have commercials.

49. On key: IN TUNE.  "Tiptoe through the tulips"  Tiny Tim was not.

50. Russian supermodel Shayk: IRINA.


53. High hairstyle: UPDO.  I remember the old days when all hair fit under the football helmets.

54. Great Barrier __: REEF.

55. Plenty, phonetically: ENUF.  Okay, ENUF fake words.  It's only Monday.

57. Pelvic bones: ILIA.

58. D.C. baseball team: NATS.  Replaced the old Senators who became the Twins after moving.

59. Vietnam's Da __: NANG.  "DaNANG, Da NANG me"  (Robin Williams.)

60. Banking giant: CITI.  Never used this.  We have local credit unions that do the job.

61. Uno y dos: TRES.

63. Rapper __ Cube: ICE.  Or ICE T on Law and Order SVU.

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

Happy birthday to Bill G! So happy to see you on the blog from time to time, Bill! We all care about you and miss your posts when you're away.

Here is a picture of Barbara, Bill and their three grandkids. This picture was taken long time ago when Bill still went out daily for his bike ride and coffee.





56 comments:

OwenKL said...

Typical Monday simplicity, both in clues and theme.

There once was a GOO from UGANDA
Who was bound and determined to wand'a
It oozed 'cross the floor
And seeped under a door,
But dried out on the sunny veranda!

Napoleon reigned on the ISLET of ELBA.
On rainy days, he carried his umbrella.
Said, "Able was I,
Till some English guy
Lucked out on a battle, I tell ya!"

{B+, B+.}

Jinx in Norfolk said...

I beg to differ, OKL. FIW, missing my WAG at my Natick NAIrD x rUKS. Also DNK DYKE, LIVIA, IRINA, or that meaning of DEIGNED. I also had to fix ARGoS from the easy cross.

Acdc sang "she told me to come, but I was already there". Guess she was ready to arrive, too.

Waited to see if an "S" or an "E" pluralized PENINSULA.

Anti-GOUGing laws aggravate shortages following disasters. The intent is understandable, the result is predictable.

Thanks for the tough Monday puzzle, Will. And thanks for the never-tough fun review, Boomer. Get better soon! (But about that tie...)

desper-otto said...

Good morning!

Very easy. Very quick. Didn't notice the reveal, and missed the theme. Again. Tried DYKE, but ALPHABETIC and EEK wouldn't allow it. Thanx, Will and Boomer.

Happy birthday, Bill G. I hope you're coping. We're always here if you want to talk about it.

unclefred said...

Very nice, fun, Monday FIR in 15. Only W/O RIB:KID. DNK NAIAD; perps to the rescue. ANTE is a frequent visitor here. I had to aunties, and two uncles, but they’re all gone now. Thanx, WT, for this CW, I like it a lot! And thanx Boomer for your as always fun write-up.

unclefred said...

Two, not to.

desper-otto said...

ORCA : Did you see the article this weekend about a pod of ORCAs killing and eating an adult blue whale? It's behavior never documented before.

ATLGranny said...

Thanks, Will, for my nice Monday FIR start to the day. The misdirection for DEUCE made me puzzle why it wasn't plural. Oh sure, it's what two is called in a deck, not how many there are in a deck! Other WOs were caused by rushing to fill: AMfM/AMPM , RONeN/RONAN, and uLnA/ILIA (wrong bones!) Perps to the rescue.

Boomer, I enjoyed your cheerful review and am happy to see you're feeling well enough to blog.

Happy Birthday to Bill G. Always good to hear from you.

And best wishes to all Cornerites!

Wilbur Charles said...

Two misspellings slowed me down: GaUGE, ILeA. Dnk RONAN. Nice Monday level. No Sunday tbtimes in Dunnellon to be had so that xword awaits.

Boomer another fun write-up I liked AUDI Doody. Anybody remember the name of the Princess?

Two more great NFL games

WC

Anonymous said...

I feared I overslept -- until Wednesday, as this took me a little over 6 minutes. Not your typical Monday puzzle, but that is not a complaint.

Anonymous said...

Princess Summer Fall Winter Spring on the Howdy Doody Show?

TTP said...



Good morning. Thank you Will and Boomer.

Happy Birthday, Bill G ! Hope you get to do something especially fun today.

Noticed GI in the top two theme answers. Liked that the reveal was at the end. Should have, but didn't think about what the reveal might be while filling in the answers.

Boomer, remember having to get those boots shiny black ? Then later after basic and AIT, some guys bought the patent leather jump boots with the shiny reinforced toe caps ?

LIVIA - No idea.

Yes, Wilbur Charles, I agree. A pair of exciting come-from-behind victories in the championship games yesterday.

CrossEyedDave said...

Government Issued?

Happy Birthday Bill G, However old you may be...

I am afraid Wordle got me today, my streak is over.
If you don't have that first letter, there are more than 6 choices...

waseeley said...

Thank you Will for a Monday morning meander thru the grid. I followed my GUT INSTINCT on this one for a FIR.

And thank you Boomer for another Groanfully Informative review. Nice Tie!

A few favs:

17A AUDI. A Westerner with a Cockney accent?

35A ELISHA. DNK about the rivalry between Gray and Bell. Graybar was a business partner to a company I used to work for and we incorporated a lot of their products into our network designs. The company has a very interesting history.

3D AIDA. Here's the Grand March from Act II.

14A LIVIA. Apparently a very influential Roman.

26A GOUGE. A GOUGE could be used to create a GRAVEN IMAGE, but not a GOLDEN CALF.

Cheers,
Bill

HBD Bill G! 🎂

waseeley said...

Word of the Day: nosh

Pronunciation: nahsh

Part of Speech: Verb, noun

Meaning: 1. (Verb, North America) To snack with enjoyment, nibble, eat quickly. 2. (UK) To eat. 3. (Noun, North America) A snack, a munchy, a nibble. 4. (UK) Food, a meal.

Notes: Today's word has a large and active family: Someone who noshes is a nosher, who noshes on noshables (from the passive adjective noshable "tasty, suitable for noshing"). Noshers may even frequent their favorite noshery "a snack bar, cafe".

In Play: I will give examples today only of the American usages. Just remember, Britishers today are using it in the broader senses mentioned above. In America we nosh on snacks that we enjoy eating: "I can't think of a better way to shuffle off this mortal coil than noshing on a box of chocolates." This word works just as well as a noun in expressions like this: "Henrietta loves the posh nosh at the noshery around the corner from her apartment."

Word History: Our Jewish subscribers probably have had more contact with today's Good Word, for it is another contribution from Yiddish. Yiddish nashn was borrowed from Middle High German naschen "to eat dainty food or delicacies" ...

See Alpha Dictionary for more info.

Irish Miss said...

Good Morning:

I thought this had a bit of a bite for a Monday, just a bit. I went astray at AMFM/AMPM, Coop/Cote, Dyke/Dyck, and Fleet/Agile. I don’t always check perps and fill in whatever I think is right, which accounts for these errors. I needed perps for Livia and Argus (Hi, Lemony). I knew Argo was Jason’s ship but was unaware of the builder’s name. I was jumping all over the place and never noticed the GIs until I read the reveal clue. The four themers are very strong, in the language phrases which makes the theme very solid. Some cute pairings include: A triple play with Reef/Peninsula/Islet, Ick/Goo, Ante/Deuce, Audi/Aida, Naan/Nang, and Luna/Lira, Numerous CSOs today: Ray O and Anon T (Lira and Luna), Tin (_ _ _), Inanehiker and Ray O (Scanner and Endo), Vidwan (Naan), and Knesset (Hahtoolah, Lemony, and MalMan). We also had an A parade with Spa, Lira, Orca, Elisha, Uganda, Aida, Livia, Elba, and Ilia.

Thanks, Will, for a fun Monday solve and thanks, Boomer, for the chuckles and commentary. Good luck with the upcoming tests and PT and OT sessions.

Happy Birthday, dear Bill G, may it be a special day. 🎂🎁🎉🎈🎊 Hope to hear from you more often as your observations and reflections are greatly missed.

Anonymous @ 7:42 ~ I had to chuckle at your overslept comment because I literally did that this morning. My bedroom clock showed 8:00 when I got up but all my other clocks showed 9:45! I never adjusted the bedroom clock after Saturday’s power outage. BTW, in the future, if you don’t mind,I’m going to address you as Speedy Solver, as Anonymous is too impersonal.

From Saturday

DO, the scene of the kettle of fish (I love that expression!) was not the Conservatory; it was the Library AKA Den! 🙃

Anon T, permission granted to LOL all you want at the image evoked by my self-inflicted predicament. As one of my nieces would say, “It deserves me right.” 🤣

Heat wave today, mid 20s! Have a great day.

Husker Gary said...

Musings
-In just three years in our small school, I’ve encountered two kids with GENDER IDENTITY issues who sought me out as someone to talk to. There but for fortune goes my child.
-Modern baseball SIGNAL system
-I had AM_M and went the wrong way
-I wonder what Tchaikovsky would have thought of the LIBERAL rock-and-roll versions of his music
-OH BOY on the Ed Sullivan Show
-Bill Belichick – “STATS are for losers”
-GOUGING? Try to get a hotel room in Omaha during the College World Series
-HBD Bill! I hope you keep contributing here when you can

CanadianEh! said...

Maverick Monday. Thanks for the fun, Will and Boomer.
I FIRed, but found this CW crunchy for a Monday. Plus, I started searching for the theme reveal too early and found PEN-INS at 62A, which lead me to finding the INS that I had PENned into all the themers. (OK, IN was backwards and separated in 20A and 48A.) I even found an Easter Egg with INN. I definitely “overthunk it” today!

Afro changed to UPDO, G changed to K for KNESSET, ICK changed to UCK.
DH corrected Nets to NATS for me.
Would Grading on a curve be GRADE INFLATION? I definitely benefitted from that in third year Biochem!
IRENA and RONAN required perps.

I wondered about the difference between ALPHABETIC and Alphabetical. Grammarist and other sources say that “Alphabetic and alphabetical share the sense arranged in order according to the alphabet, but alphabetical is far more common in this sense. ... For the sense of or relating to an alphabet, alphabetic is more common.” Rich used the less common definition today.

Spitzboov would have linked that map of current ice depths on Lake ERIE.

Happy Birthday to BillG.

Wishing you all a great day.
Wordle 226 4/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩
⬜🟩🟨⬜🟩
🟩🟩⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Yellowrocks said...

I had my post written when a popup froze my screen. I had to power down to get rid of it, losing my post. I will try to rewrite it later.
The Geek Squad checked my computer and added more popup blocks. I have had a subscription with them for many years. It includes firewall protection and Webroot and as many sessions as I want, minor or consequential, in store or online. When I bought a new computer it switched my data over as part of the service. The subscription is well worth the charge if you are not a techie. For those who do not subscribe their service is expensive.

Chairman Moe said...

Puzzling thoughts:

FIW; I had ARGOS in 43-down which left GOT INSTINCT for 56-across. I have a rather prominent GUT right now (10 pounds of pandemic); should’ve “followed it”

I didn’t see the clock reference @ 6-down clue so AMFM preceded AMPM

A well-hidden reveal @ 70-across

Fortunately one part of my puzzle brain was working today; CED, I swear I didn’t cheat or take a WAG!

Wordle 226 3/6

🟨⬛🟨⬛⬛
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Lucina said...

Hola!

Happy birthday, Bill G! I hope you celebrate and enjoy your day.

I actually finished this puzzle very early this morning but then went back to bed. It filled easily with no problems.

GRADE INFLATION sounds like a very bad idea.

CITI cards and I are very well acquainted. It's the only credit card I use and pay the balance each month.

The University of San Diego where I attended is a LIBERAL Arts College.

URE and ENUF can be relegated to the garbage heap.

Thank you, Boomer, for your Monday musings. I'm glad you are doing well enough to write your commentary.

Have a fantastic day, everyone!

Subgenius said...

FIR with no problem on this (as usual) easy Monday. Did have to change "afro" to "updo" per CanadianEh! but that's about it.
By the way, folks, just for your information, my phone went dead after only two months of use: it stopped responding to my touch. I called the company (Assurance Wireless) and the lady tried to help me, but it was useless. So they're going to send me a replacement phone, free of charge. It will take 21 to 28 business days, so about a month, but I should be able to continue to participate in this Corner in the meantime, as I have access to a computer 6 days a week (just not on Sundays.) Okay, I thought you folks might be interested in my phone travails. Subgenius out.

inanehiker said...

This went pretty smoothly though not as fast as some Mondays. I thought ALPHABETIC and GRAVEN IMAGE were both theme answers at first - so it took the second GI theme answer to realize only the second of the other two was a theme.

Thanks to Boomer and Will! Glad you made it through radiation smoothly with only one mishap, Boomer, hope the therapy continues to help you make good progress!

Husband off to Togo - I can't remember who asked - (one of the Ts:AnonT, TTP, etc.)
but he is going to train pastors - many of them there have no bible school or seminary training and so he is part of a rotating team who give them tools to more accurately study Scripture. He won't be gone too long- but it's supposed to snow on Wednesday - so not looking forward to getting the driveway cleared!



CrossEyedDave said...

Trivia question:
What TV show started every episode with "Oh Boy."

My disastrous Wordle today!
Wordle 226 X/6

⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜
🟨⬜🟨⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩

Misty said...

Delightful Monday puzzle--many thanks, Will. And so great to have you do your usual Monday commentary, Boomer--wonderful to have you back today. Oh, and that's a cool tie you were wearing.

Like Wilbur, I loved the funny Western greeting clue for AUDI Doody.

Always love seeing opera clues, like today's AIDA, in puzzles.

Also a happy memory being reminded of those IVORY piano keys.

At least two political sites: Napoleon's ELBA and Amin's UGANDA.

Well, ENUF of my comments.

Enjoyed your poems, Owen.

And happy birthday, Bill G.

Have a great week coming up, everybody.

Ray - o - sunshine said...

Greeting from sunny but coolish Sanibel Island (not a PENINSULA but an Insula)��

Perfect STATS for an easy Monday. Thumbing my way through the puzzle on my phone. but didn't get the GISt of the theme��..forgot to look.

LUNA, is the moon named for the goddess or the goddess named for the moon. ("Sol"'s enigma as well). IVORY, why elephants cringe when they hear an old piano playing ��. Who says 'Owdy? a Cockney cowboy?�� ENUF?, no phare! WC: Princess Sunmerfallwinterspring.��

Vasectomy,shmasectomy RONAN still.looks way more like Frank than Woody

Between 1971 and 77 one dollar was worth 500 - 600 lire. You could sometimes get a better exchange in Switzerland but the amount you could bring back into the PENINSULA was limitued. After visiting a number of Swiss banks DW (and I) would return on the transalpine train with her sporting a much larger bra size.��

BTW, Italians consider Antonio Meucci as the inventor of the telephone

Where a hook goes to get closure....ISLET
Poets' "Frequently" .....OFFED.
Gone without a ____.....TRES
This pigeon coop could use a good ____ of paint...COTE.

A lot of scans Boomer, thank you for you business!! Keep up the good news. ��

Ray - o - sunshine said...

My usual blog entry disappeared happens about once month, screwed up my entertaining emojis...lol

Lemonade714 said...

HBDTY Bill G., do keep in touch.

Enjoyed revisiting the Bell-Gray history in depth and also the very nice CSO from the Movie JASON and the ARGONAUTS which featured HONOR BLACKMAN who was the first partner for Patrick Macnee before DIANA RIGG came along and then Honor became everyone's favorite PUSSY GALORE in the Bond Movie GOLDFINGER .

Now off to WORDLE

Also, this is the first appearance of IRINA SHAYK in the LAT, though our C.C. used her in a WSJ puzlle from 2019.

Lemonade714 said...

I was so anxious to get to WORDL, I forgot to welcome back Will Tobias who I had the pleasure of introducing here in October 2020. Do not be so shy Will T.

Lemonade714 said...


Hot damn! Moe you inspired me, but mostly I lucked out with three letters in my first word

Wordle 226 3/6

🟩🟩🟨⬜⬜
🟩🟩⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Wilbur Charles said...

Anon@808. Right you are. And of course there was FlubaDub

Great show for the 6-9 yr crowd.

WC

Lemonade714 said...

Subbie, what brand of phone did they give you that lasted only 2 months?

Subgenius said...

Actually, Lemon, I got the phone on November 10th, the day before Veteran's Day, so I guess it was more like three months. It's an Assurance Wireless phone, which is on a special government program that gives free cell phones to people on SSI. So I got free smart phone, which was good, because I don't know how I could have afforded one otherwise. The lady I talked to at Assurance Wireless seemed nonplussed that this had happened, so apparently it isn't an everyday occurrence. But it is definitely a major hassle. Who can do without a phone these days? But I guess I'll find out the answer to that question, as I'll be without mine for about a month, if not longer.

Subgenius said...

Oh, Lemon, by the way, the brand name is a "Schok Volt sv45", a brand I had never heard of before this, but apparently it is a known brand, because Amazon had a phone case available for it.

Tinbeni said...

Boomer: Excellent write-up & links. Good job!

Nice Monday "Easy-Solve" puzzle.

If it weren't for the "Perps" at 68-d I would have had a DNF

Y'all know I never enter "_ _ _" in anything. LOL

A "Toast-to-ALL" at Sunset. It is going to be a perfect one tonight here in Tarpon Springs, Florida.

Cheers!

waseeley said...

inanehiker @11:45 AM Many years ago I became acquainted with a refugee from TOGO through our Church. He was here on a temporary visa to care for his brother, who was dying of AIDS. I spent quite some time working through Catholic Charities to try to get him a permanent visa and found out how our immigration system actually works. Such visas are available to three classes of people: 1. Students, 2. those with essential job skills, and 3. those being persecuted by "tyrannical regimes". Each of these has a catch-22: 1. Students are not allowed to work while they're here (Kouassi didn't have wealthy parents footing the bill); his only marketable skill was his fluency in French, which he had taught in Togo, but which was not essential here; and 3. the CIA didn't consider the regime in Togo to be tyrannical, as they didn't ideologically oppose the US. Kouassi had fled Togo because the country's leader at the time had declared himself a god and required that he be publicly worshiped. As a devout Catholic Kouassi couldn't do this and had to flee to the US. After his brother died Kouassi remained here illegally for several years, supporting himself with odd jobs. Eventually he returned to Africa and lived in Ivory Coast. I've since lost track of him and often wonder about him. He was a wonderful man.

Anonymous said...

Ms. Irish Miss: I'm glad you enjoyed the comment, and got some extra sleep today.

I'm not sure how to respond to the "speedy" moniker though. I feel many here are just as fast, but choose not to post times.
-Anonymous @ 7:42.

Irish Miss said...

Anonymous @ 2:22 ~ Well, I think you deserve a name other than Anonymous and since you are a fast solver in your own right, the name seems apropos. Besides, it’s not Speediest Solver so I’m not excluding anyone else. 😉

I just received a letter from Car Shield stating that I should sign up for coverage on my 2017 Jaguar F-Pace First Edition. I wouldn’t recognize that car if it ran over me.

Anonymous said...

Ms. Irish Miss: Well, I'm flattered. Thank you.

I'm no expert in insurance, but considering you don't own that car, your insurance premium should be awfully low....

Husker Gary said...

Musings
-60F and sunny. Wanna guess where I was? My home course was booked solid and so I played a new one.

-WORDLE SPOILER! WORDLE SPOILER! I got the Wordle on the fourth line even though all but one vowel was eliminated in the first three lines

TTP said...

I can safely predict that my current cell phone will stop working on February 22nd.

For a couple of months I kept getting what I thought were smishing texts. I deleted them without really reading them, but they were legit texts from the provider.

Apparently my current cell phone is 3G or less and will not be compatible with the new minimum standard on the carrier's network as of Feb 22. Something VoLTE or something. Don't really know since I rarely use it anyway. I'm sure that Jinx can explain it.

I tried to log on to "my account" to find out more, but couldn't. I finally got through to them from my VOIP home line. The provider is sending a replacement cell phone gratis. A Galaxy A52. I don't know if that's a good phone or not. Doesn't matter. It'll rarely get used.

Jinx in Norfolk said...

TTP, carriers are turning off their 3G networks, like they did with the old voice-only networks and 2G. I don't know the Galaxy A52, but I like Samsung electronics in general, and being 5G, it will be more secure and likely work better than your old phone. The camera will be far superior to your old one. Be sure to play around with it.

Nice that they are sending you a new freebie. When I had the problem with my LG a couple of weeks ago, VZ offered to send me a replacement phone of the same vintage. No thanks. New Android releases are only compatible with fairly new phones. My LG was capped at Android 8, and the newest version is Android 12. My new phone will probably be able to go to Android 13 or 14, then it will still work but support and updates will stop. Unlike Windows support for the OEM and user communities, the responsibility for verifying phone compatibility and functionality resides with the phone vendors and carriers, not with Google.

So far I really like my Motorola Edge, and am glad I sprang for the update. I don't think 5G will be important for this phone's lifetime, but its good to have it in case I'm wrong. I just wish they weren't so stingy with the mobile hotspot data part of my "unlimited" data plan.

I know, I know. You asked me for the time and I tried to tell you how to make a watch.

Yellowrocks said...

Alan got a free replacement phone of the original model twice and neither worked. They were reconditioned pieces of junk. Good luck. Let us know.

waseeley said...

Anonymous @3:00 PM We get a lot offers to buy our home at "4317 Forest Park Drive. I figure I'd make a good profit on it, particularly since we don't own it. I always swipe left on these offers, as the general advice is to not admit that you exist.

Malodorous Manatee said...

Gee, I liked the puzzle and the write-up. Thanks, Boomer!

LEO III said...

Take your pick: Today was technically a DNF, because I didn’t know the A in AUKS/NAIAD, and I refused to stick anything in that slot! Really, though, it was a RTFIW (Refused to Finish It Wrong).

Other than that, everything else went smoothly, but I needed perps to took care of ELISHA. DYCK, LIVIA, RONAN and IRINA. Who said that names will never hurt me?

I got the theme.

I guess I never knew the actual meaning of DEIGN, or I guess I never knew it had a negative connotation. I know I’ve come across it before, but I cannot remember where or when. (Hey! I could write a song….) It will come to me in the middle of the night sometime.

Actually, both iterations of the old Washington Senators were often called the Nats, before they shuffled off to Minneapolis and DFW, respectively. As I’ve mentioned before, I refuse to invest anything further into a Washington baseball team.

From what I understand, we’ll be having another discussion about a sports team on Wednesday. I’ll TRY to be polite, or maybe just shut up entirely.

Anonymous said...

Cross Eyed Dave...if you get to in that position with Wordle, you are better off "guessing" with all the other possible letters that could finish the puzzle versus keeping your 4 correct positions.

I enjoy your daily banter...

TTP said...


Jinx, thanks. I have no idea how to tell what my Android version is on the current phone, but I could probably find the setting that would tell me. It's all moot now.

I never wanted a smart phone. The wife insisted. I resisted. Then she just came home with it one day. Only a few people, mostly family and some golf buddies know the number. But it would beep / ring in the middle of the night. So then I made a holster for it with some scrap pieces of wood and mounted it on a garage wall where it has pretty much stayed since then. Then I started to catch heck because I didn't respond to texts or calls for a few days or longer.

I don't know how quickly the data would be used up. Not sure that I've ever used data. It has 3.93 GB and 3702 minutes left. Also, 2671 text messages. I've sent maybe 10 text messages in the last two years.

Yellowrocks, I have no idea what I'm getting. I really don't care. Why do you think it's a refurb ? Is that an older model phone ? I was going to just let it go away, but it's better to keep the peace around here by getting the replacement. It will stay in the garage except for rare occasions. I'll probably have to make a new holster for it, but that's okay.

Anonymous T said...

I must be late - LeoIII beat me to posting :-)

Hi All!

Crunchy for a Monday; thanks Will. Thanks, Boomer, for the fun recap. Glad to read you're doing well and in good spirits.
BTW, fun tie. At the office, we don't wear ties anymore so I go full Bush Sr. w/ the colorful [nerd] socks.

WOs: N/A
ESPs: AIDA, CALI, DYCK, RONAN (thanks for the picture Boomer, now I remember him), NAIAD, DEIGNED, IRINA, ILIA, NANG
Fav: Does anyone recall when Kilborn's The Daily Show gave the weekend box-office takes in LIRA? [WikiP - Common segments]

D-O: Yes, I saw the ORCA article in the NYT. "Wow" and "daaaamn" was all I could think.

NANG - one of my EE study-buddies at LA Tech. He was conceived in Viet Nam and born in South Louisiana. He and another study-buddy (a black guy) would poke each other with racial stereotypes - In Living Color gave them ample ammunition and kept me in (cringy-)stiches.

{B+, A}

HG - that those students trusted you enough to reach out... You should feel really good about yourself. #GoodMan

Subgenius - 21days?!? Oy! I guess if it's free...(?) Never heard of the Schok Volt sv45 so I Googled; might be a fun thing to play with.

CED - Thanks. You brought me a smile (and not just w/ BillG's cake); I haven't thought about Quantum Leap in years. DW & I watched it religiously.

Ray-O: um, so how do we pronounce the inventive Italian's last name? //I never heard that story - I only knew of Bell & Gray.
Ever notice Italians are particularly inventive people?*
Pop invents sh** all the time to meet a need [I should tell you about a crow's-feet drywall mudder he made out of a board and chipped-up hot-glue'd clothespins fashioned to match the ceiling's relief pattern -- this after I fell through the ceiling from the attic (there's an image for you to LOL at, IM :-))]

Oh, and Ray-O, my Italian Uncle shot the knots out of Aunt's tied tubes begat'ing my cousin. RONAN may very well be Frank's :-)

Waseeley - IIRC, Boomer worked for Graybar into retirement. Graybar's cable-ladders were a staple of my server-room designs back in the day.

Happy Birthday BillG! Drop in and tell us about your latest lunch adventure.

Cheers, -T
*Church of England beat us Italians to the vacuum 'cuz #Pope #GodIsEverywhere :-)
Wordle 226 4/6
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟨🟨🟨⬜
🟨🟩🟨⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

TTP said...



Leo, I always remember naiad / Nyad for water nymph. Diana swam from Cuba to the Keys when she was 64. Over 100 miles. An absolutely amazing feat.


Anon at 8:37, if you are playing Wordle in easy mode, yes, you can just enter any letters. If you are playing in hard mode, you must use all "correct" or "present" letters.

LEO III said...

-T --- "It's the NEW LEO!" That's what one of my old drinking buddies (boss eventually) would always say, whenever I'd come up with a new and improved idea, especially related to making myself a better (cough! cough!) person or worker or whatever. It was a standing joke! Of course, he had most of the same issues that I had.

Even though I can usually finish the early week puzzles BEFORE this night owl goes to bed, it is usually late when I get to the Corner. I don't wait for the expo to be posted before I shut down the computer, and I like to read what others have had to say. However, I would like to get into the habit of sneaking in a little earlier.

TTP --- Thanks, and I'll TRY to remember it. I do have trouble with book and TV names, mainly because I never read that much (a HISTORY major, AND I used to have to read corporate annual reports???), and I don't watch much current TV. I mean, I'm still watching reruns of PERRY MASON, SOAP (Diana Canova) and THAT 70'S SHOW (Laura Prepon).

Lucina said...

INTERESTING about Ronan!

I hope Bill G. went out with his children and grandchildren to celebrate.

Michael said...

TTP @ 9:49:

The simplest way to keep the 1st Sergeant happy at inspections was to have a second pair of black combat boots, used only for inspections, and shined with some brand of floor wax (I've forgotten the name) that we would wipe on and so keep the lifers happy ... while we used the first pair without any concerns..

Yellowrocks said...

TTP, many product insurance plans instead of replacing problem product with brand new items send refurbished used ones of the same model. In David's and my experience in they are inferior.

Michael said...

-T: From those encrypted socks, do we get cryptic toes, or cyber elbows? Better get that 64-bit key ready.

Anonymous T said...

Michael - you made me go back, re-read, and remember TTP's angst at those 'rich' kids who got a secondary pair o' Boots, Jump, 1 ea.

I did basic at Ft. Bliss in El Paso from JUN -> AUG. Rubbing out the sweat/salt stains from the toes -just to get the boots back to black from white- was enough to pass inspection. We only spitshined our Class-A Dress. //light some Kiwi with a match and go to town :-)

My AIT was at Ft. Sam in San Antonio. A sweet dream where we didn't even have to press our uniforms 'cuz they were soon to be eaten up by spilt acids in the lab (medical, that is). #92Bravo

Cheers, -T

TTP said...




Michael, We could make the floors shine with those big floor buffers when due for an inspection. I do remember that some guys used that floor wax on their boots, but as Dash T said, lighting a tin of Kiwi on fire, popping the lid back on to snuff it out, and then spit shining with the melted wax was the best.

We were issued two pair of boots and one pair of dress shoes in Basic. Along with three sets of fatigues, the class A's, field jacket, etc. Those boots were tough. I brought them home, along with everything else in the big OD green duffel bag when I ETS'ed. And a French army field jacket from our "sister company" across the Rhine that that I got in a trade.

I filled that duffel bag to about 1/3rd with sand, hung it from the rafters in the storage room above my dad's shop. I used it as a training bag for practicing my tae-kwon-do kicks and punches. The rest went into boxes, except my field jacket and boots.

Almost all of that stuff disappeared after I moved away to Houston. I think one of my brothers must have used the fatigues and boots for his work running heavy equipment as an operating engineer, and maybe the French army jacket as well. Pretty sure that one of my sisters got my class A jacket. But I still have the field jacket and still wear it in the winters when blowing snow. To this day, almost 50 years later...


Dash T, interesting that you only had to get the boots black again. Somewhere around the time I was processing out, I heard something about the Army no longer wanting soldiers to have highly shined boots because the enemy could pick up troop movements. That doesn't sound plausible to me. Not that they couldn't be detected, but I would think that there would be other easier ways to get that kind of intel.


Yellowrocks, you are probably right. Probably getting a refurbed phone. The original phone she brought home was only $20. An Alcatel Onetouch. I just had to buy a $20 60 minute refill card every three months to keep it active. The card's stated minutes, text and data tripled with each purchase. I signed up for auto-refill so I wouldn't forget. I was surprised when I looked at the numbers a couple of days ago. Over 60 hours of talk time, and enough texts to last me for the next 100 years.


Dave, from the other day, you were so close. My first word was plUme, not flume. You were correct on my second word, gRUNt. Got it in three with WRUNG.