tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post4267373252075433960..comments2024-03-28T02:28:44.292-05:00Comments on L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Wednesday, September 3, 2014 Ned WhiteZhouqin (C.C.) Burnikelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750267554729853785noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-39321594510945104222014-09-04T22:02:55.138-05:002014-09-04T22:02:55.138-05:00Good Thursday evening, folks. Thank you, Ned Whit...Good Thursday evening, folks. Thank you, Ned White, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Jazzbumpa, for a fine review.<br /><br />Well, I am a day late with this. Just finished it early this morning and had no time today to check until now.<br /><br />Took me a while to get RIFE. I think ELKO gave it to me. I have been to ELKO in years past. Used to work in Nevada, up north.<br /><br />Liked the Transmission theme. Clever. I always liked stick shifts. Have owned several.<br /><br />GOOGOL was a new word for me. got it with perps.<br /><br />Liked RATIO. I have used ratio and proportion all my life.<br /><br />I will now cut out of here since I am a day late and no one will probably read this anyway. This puzzle was fun, as they all are.<br /><br />See you Friday.<br /><br />Abejo<br /><br />(5717)Abejohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10318111258011554517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-43783910102319448712014-09-04T00:08:51.107-05:002014-09-04T00:08:51.107-05:00Bill G. - From his links, I think CED could handle...Bill G. - From his links, I think CED could handle it :-)<br /><br />Cheers, -TAnonymous Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00459563526290288425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-12689336175105503482014-09-03T22:40:17.426-05:002014-09-03T22:40:17.426-05:00Wow! I wonder if they would let me take it for a s...Wow! I wonder if they would let me take it for a spin? <a href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=508402389295003&set=vb.217765281692050&type=2&theater" rel="nofollow">MACHINE</a>Bill G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04142837879175561312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-66847933278882739262014-09-03T21:32:53.528-05:002014-09-03T21:32:53.528-05:00Hi All!
WEES - fun theme with some obscure (to me...Hi All!<br /><br />WEES - fun theme with some obscure (to me at least) perping fill. ORFF / GOREN, AMBI / ELBA. Misspelling ARIEL and GOOGOL didn't help much either. Final score a DNF. You got me Ned.<br /><br />I started off OKAY. LOW CALORIE was 1st theme to fall. So, PRN(?)... mmmm, I must be parsing this wrong. V8 hit - PARK, REV, etc.<br /><br />Fav was 11d, though I don't tweet, DW gets those texts from me.<br /><br />Thanks for the writeup JzB!<br /><br />Argyle - you beat me to the Cosby link :-)<br /><br />My PRNDL says 1,2,3,4,5, R. It was the only used standard at the dealership. I like it for all the reasons stated and the gas milage is a plus.<br /><br />My wife came to visit me at Ft. Hood during Desert Storm. We only had a GLC w/ a stick. She was on crutches and used the crutch to hit the clutch!<br /><br />Cheers, -TAnonymous Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00459563526290288425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-23330648608669608302014-09-03T19:05:38.358-05:002014-09-03T19:05:38.358-05:00Anon, above at 5:05 or 1705 Hrs. I know exactly w...Anon, above at 5:05 or 1705 Hrs. I know exactly what you mean. I've seen this happen so often, that I'm convinced we all have a strong latent sadistic gene deep within our DNA. The other side of this equation is the road rage we see so often, because of the above mentioned behaviour.<br /><br />There are drivers who want to turn left, and when they see a long line of cars behind them, especially on a two lane street, - they just take their own sweet time to make the turn. Well knowing, they are holding up the entire line of cars, and the impatient traffic seems to give them some sort of sadistic pleasure.<br /><br /> But if a car wants to turn left, and is on a cross side street, and you are on the main road, barreling down, then the drivers seem to take all sorts of risks, and cut in ahead of you.<br /><br />I have a neighbor who drives at, or below the speed limit and always, always is on the left, fast, passing lane. He is oblivious to all horns, and has the temerity to sport this bumper sticker ..<br /><br />"I may be slow, but I'm ahead of you !".<br /><br />One day, he's going to end up dead.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Casually Curiousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-76196520357866839212014-09-03T18:30:59.189-05:002014-09-03T18:30:59.189-05:00Anon at 5:05: Yes indeedy! One night I was driving...Anon at 5:05: Yes indeedy! One night I was driving on a four-lane divided highway with very little traffic. I came up behind these two old pickups driving side by side. They kept going slower and slower and I was getting alarmed about it. I didn't want to be stopped and car-jacked or something. Then a big SUV came barreling down the road in the passing lane. As it rapidly approached, the old pickup in that lane pulled ahead and got into the slow lane. I let the SUV pass me then floor-boarded my car and passed both old pickups to see an old coot in each one grinning broadly at me. I figured they were buddies who got their kicks on Saturday night in this manner. @##$%%$PKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-50394775339165809852014-09-03T17:52:18.851-05:002014-09-03T17:52:18.851-05:00Dudley, yes, regarding shifting gears in the UK. W...Dudley, yes, regarding shifting gears in the UK. We rented a smallish car in Edinburgh for a two-day jaunt through the midlands. The first thing I did wrong was to climb into the wrong side of the car. When I noticed there was no steering wheel in front of me, I realized my mistake and told Barbara that 'her' side of the car checked out OK and that I'd try the other side. I really did OK driving most of the time but when some small emergency arose requiring a quick shift, old habits took over and I would try shifting with my right hand. It didn't work. There was nothing there except the right-hand door handle. I hit it with the back of my hand several times and had a black-and-blue bruise there for a couple of weeks.Bill G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04142837879175561312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-19841250156377745432014-09-03T17:05:45.659-05:002014-09-03T17:05:45.659-05:00The two car block. Did you ever try to pass someon...The two car block. Did you ever try to pass someone who speeded up whenever you pulled even and then slowed down when you dropped behind? Or even worse, would not let you pass and matched your speed so you could not pull in behind, and then laughed his head off.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-37316720450690724582014-09-03T16:46:56.303-05:002014-09-03T16:46:56.303-05:00Hello Puzzlers -
I learned to drive on a variety ...Hello Puzzlers -<br /><br />I learned to drive on a variety of manual transmissions, and have owned many over the years. In High School it was kind of a big deal, an important accomplishment, to be able to handle a clutch. Now I just don't care. However, I do firmly believe that the lack of exposure to RPM management has made today's drivers that much worse. Accelerator use is far more ragged nowadays.<br /><br />Driving rented cars in England and Oz was tricky: having the gearshift in the left hand takes a bit more concentration, particularly in a tense traffic situation.Dudleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07587399549104728305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-7349462157385847112014-09-03T16:15:16.413-05:002014-09-03T16:15:16.413-05:00My pickup is a 5-speed manual -- from the last yea...My pickup is a 5-speed manual -- from the last year that Ford offered one. In December I drove through snow and ice in west Texas, and was really glad I had a stick. Starting and stopping on ice is much more controllable with a manual.<br /><br />BTW, new avatar shows our latest two rescue cats, Lulu and Izzy. They're quite the handful.desper-ottohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17242581085713882677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-85677882311468054222014-09-03T16:15:03.397-05:002014-09-03T16:15:03.397-05:00I enjoyed this puzzle today; found it to be amusin...I enjoyed this puzzle today; found it to be amusing and fun. Once I caught on to PARK, NEUTRAL, and REVERSE, the other two shift-lever positions were self-fillers. <br />I learned to drive in my dad's "jalopy," an old beater with a three on the tree shifter. Even the starter was operated by depressing a big plunger-like piston on the floor with your left foot. Later, when I was old enough to legally drive and take official lessons, the training car was an early Plymouth Fury with the automatic transmission selections made by pressing one of five buttons (PRNDL) that were located on the center hub of the steering wheel. Like PK, I kept trying to stomp on the non-existent clutch. Nowadays I far prefer automatic. In fact, with a hybrid there is no other choice.Jaycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15906163232315177399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-10818090426754290012014-09-03T15:37:25.382-05:002014-09-03T15:37:25.382-05:00CM@1:30: "Not sure it's just a "guy ...<b>CM</b>@1:30: "<i>Not sure it's just a "guy thing"</i><br /><br />I didn't say it was <i>just</i> "a guy thing", I said I suspected that it was <i>largely</i> "a guy thing".<br /><br />Anyway, put me down as having little patience with what <b>NC</b> calls "the 2-car block". I think the guys (and yes, it's another guy thing) who hang out in the left ("passing") don't want to admit that the guy behind them might be driving faster.<br /><br />By the way, I'm the guy chugging along in the right lane at the speed limit in my 12-year-old Subaru.Lime Rickeynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-24353461763632030202014-09-03T15:15:46.944-05:002014-09-03T15:15:46.944-05:00I haven't read any of the comments yet so I do...I haven't read any of the comments yet so I don't know how everyone feels about this puzzle. I really liked it. As I was quickly working my way through it last night, my brain kept jumping to the correct fill answer (no red letters) seemingly because my brain and Ned's brain were in synch. I would stumble upon some clever clue, I would smile and then fill in the correct response. I thought all of it was fun!<br /><br />Now I've read the other responses. D-O, we had to have a HUGE Monterrey pine tree removed from our front yard a couple of years ago. It was fascinating how they did it.<br /><br />The arches in those particular Roman aqueducts don't look like parabolas to me. The tops look much more like semicircles, a completely different conic section.<br /><br />I have always enjoyed driving a car out in the countryside with a clutch and gearshift. But when I'm driving in LA traffic, I much prefer an automatic. I taught Barbara and all of our kids to drive a stick. It says something for my patience I think.Bill G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04142837879175561312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-29047801429277544712014-09-03T14:58:47.924-05:002014-09-03T14:58:47.924-05:00Nice Cuppa @ 1:44 reminded me that whenever I see ...Nice Cuppa @ 1:44 reminded me that whenever I see that 2-car block ahead of me, I always announce to whoever is in the car, "They're playing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parcheesi" rel="nofollow">Parcheesi</a> again!"<br /><br />I was always curious as to why they say "an automatic transmission wastes more gas than a stick shift," And why the car won't go when all the transmission fluid leaks out.<br /><br />Both questions were answered when I discovered <a href="http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/towing/towing-capacity/information/torque-converter.htm" rel="nofollow">The Miraculous Torque Converter!</a><br /><br />If you read all 6 pages, you will also find out what causes that awful overheating smell when you have been climbing a steep hill too long. (It is not a burning clutch.)CrossEyedDavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09745913007262424048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-52276752005936864042014-09-03T14:46:15.802-05:002014-09-03T14:46:15.802-05:00Hi everybody!
I think I am in the minority today....Hi everybody!<br /><br />I think I am in the minority today. I was sort of frustrated with this Wednesday puzzle.<br /><br />The theme entries came too easily and felt more like a Monday.<br /><br />In contrast, some of the obscure answers felt more like Friday to me. I had trouble with some unfamiliar crossovers: GOREM/ORFF, ELKO/GOOGOL/KIROV, RABAT/SABIN/SLOAN. I would like to say that three naticks is too much for a Wednesday puzzle, but I am sure most of the other solvers were familiar with some of these clues, so I will chalk up this DNF to my own ignorance. <br /><br />In the end, I have at least learned something today due to JzB and everyone else's expo. So thanks Corner!<br /><br />Now, I am just waiting for a constructor to surprise me with a puzzle based on automatic transmissions.Kevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15945207083961914327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-40496714886912888172014-09-03T14:32:16.358-05:002014-09-03T14:32:16.358-05:00Happy Wednesday everybody!
Well, it would've ...Happy Wednesday everybody!<br /><br />Well, it would've been a TaDa except for the KIROV-GOOGOL intersection....<br /><br />Speaking of intersections, thanks Argyle for the Bill Cosby clip! I've driven the hills of SF with a manual transmission, and all I can say is thank God for the emergency brake handle just to the right of the gearshift....<br /><br />I learned to drive a manual in an old Ford pickup, with a "Three on the Tree" shifter....<br /><br />My first car (65 Mustang) had a C4 "Cruise-a-Matic" transmission. The interesting thing was that there were 3 forward gear selections, but you only got all 3 gear shifts by utilizing the middle selection....<br /><br />Doc outRiver Dochttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07217414780894792059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-1710107206359279392014-09-03T14:02:55.801-05:002014-09-03T14:02:55.801-05:00For some reason I feel that today is Thursday and ...For some reason I feel that today is Thursday and my experience with the puzzle confirmed that. Wrong! The northeast was empty and refused fill in. Thanks Ned White for the challenge. JzB, thanks for all the help.<br /><br />I got the theme today, an unusual occurrence for me!<br /><br />Several unknowns that have already been discussed.<br /><br />I've owned 3 VW Bugs, each with stick shift. In hilly Cincinnati I'm very happy with my automatic transmissions.<br /><br />Have a great day!<br /><br />PatAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-67181473887746394292014-09-03T14:01:48.262-05:002014-09-03T14:01:48.262-05:00Bill Cosby - Driving in San Fransisco<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOmayx2JBs8" rel="nofollow">Bill Cosby - <b>Driving in San Fransisco</b></a>Argylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09472446316589207365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-21559945707969772222014-09-03T13:44:55.805-05:002014-09-03T13:44:55.805-05:00I agree with most of Lime Rickey's initial sen...I agree with most of Lime Rickey's initial sentiments. The control element is key, especially in hilly areas; and it is not so much a macho thing as cultural; my European girlfriends prefer stick-shifts too. <br /><br />The curious thing about automatics is that only U.S. and (non-French) Canadians drive them. The rest of the world seems wedded to manual transmission/stick-shifts. <br /><br />In the U.S., traffic-management in most cities and urban areas is STOP-START-STOP-START. It seems that there is either a STOP sign or a STOP LIGHT at every intersection, which suits automatics better than manuals. In Europe and elsewhere, the road systems are designed to keep traffic moving as much as possible, with ROUNDABOUTS (traffic circles) instead of STOP LIGHTS, and "GIVE WAY" rather than STOP signs; both of which favor the flexibility and nimbleness of the stick-shift, even at low speeds.<br /><br />Also (this is somewhat tangential), in most countries, the concept of "not impeding the flow of traffic" is strongly ingrained, such that cars will pass a slower vehicle as quickly as possible, and then move immediately to the inside lane. Two quick gear changes (down-then-up) are often required. Otherwise they will incur the wrath of faster drivers. In the U.S., this concept is only loosely and sporadically adhered to. I see what I call the "2-car block" daily on my commute to work - where 2 cars travel at approximately the same speed on a 2-lane divided highway, occupying both lanes side-by-side and apparently oblivious of the rest of the world. The 3-car block is also fairly common on 3-lane highways. The 4-car/lane block requires genuine coordination between drivers and is rarely seen. <br /><br />It is not really about speed, more about concern for others' (and the collective's) needs: as the average traffic speed increases, traffic density decreases, so everyone reaches their destination sooner.<br /><br />End of polemic<br /><br />NCNice Cuppahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16670171231144871327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-42299002051833200412014-09-03T13:42:13.210-05:002014-09-03T13:42:13.210-05:00OMK @ 1:33
I recall Subaru re-introducing the Hil...OMK @ 1:33<br /><br />I recall Subaru re-introducing the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill-holder" rel="nofollow">Hill Holder</a> on many of their standard transmission vehicles, as a means of "selling" them to skittish buyers. I've never used this, but I suspect that in the Bay Area it would be an asset to have if you drive a stick . . .Chairman Moehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830681893074853511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-62832420364830598622014-09-03T13:36:21.442-05:002014-09-03T13:36:21.442-05:00Hi Y'all! This was harder than I expected on W...Hi Y'all! This was harder than I expected on Wed. Thanks, Ned. Always a sweet treat to travel with you, JzB.<br /><br />Looked all over the computer keyboard trying to figure out what to plunk into the "Shift" space before the PRNDL dawned on me. Duh! When I first made the transition from stick shift to automatic transmission, I expended a lot of energy pawing the floor board with my left foot, trying to stomp on the non-existant clutch.<br /><br />Didn't know Tiger Beat, ALAN, GOOGOL, ORFF, NEZ, GABON, GOREN, RABAT.<br /><br />My new neighbor has long red hair like ARIEL and is in a wheel chair. Do you suppose...?<br /><br />Sweet tweet: hand up for thinking candy until coming here. I even thought "I LUV U" was the message on those little candy hearts. Duh #2.<br /><br />One of the answers on Jeopardy was cruciverbalist.PKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-33922757785566141952014-09-03T13:33:16.219-05:002014-09-03T13:33:16.219-05:00I thought those letter PRNDL looked familiar. I g...I thought those letter PRNDL looked familiar. I got them all right, but didn't catch on until seeing JzB's explanation.<br />When I first drove, everything was stick shift. It wasn't so easy learning in San Francisco. You learned to hate those stop signs at the tops of hills, and you learned to tolerate a little roll backwards before engaging 1st gear to start up again. <br />The worst was the guy who'd stop right behind you, leaving no clearance for the roll-back.<br />You learned quickly NOT to be that guy. Ol' Man Keith https://www.blogger.com/profile/02073553138045178596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-91397739548280709592014-09-03T13:30:21.278-05:002014-09-03T13:30:21.278-05:00Lime Rickey @ 12:52
Not sure it's just a &quo...Lime Rickey @ 12:52<br /><br />Not sure it's just a "guy thing", as I suspect there are a number of <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=danica+patrick&client=firefox-a&hs=HOw&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=KF0HVPe-MpSQgwSmzYFY&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=657#channel=fflb&q=danica+patrick+holding+a+gear+shift&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=P7cldhqt6I_p4M%253A%3B4w0nsqhGPadQXM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.mycarheaven.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2011%252F03%252Fdanica-patrick-4.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.mycarheaven.com%252F2011%252F08%252Ftalented-and-beautiful-female-car-racing-drivers%252F%3B1440%3B900" rel="nofollow">women</a> who drive cars with a manual gear box, too. And perhaps the common "thread" IS the "being in control" issue, which is not gender specific.<br /><br />And as you might have guessed, I solve my crosswords on newsprint with a pen. I like computers just fine, but doing a crossword in a newspaper and manually shifting a car just seem more natural to me . . .Chairman Moehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830681893074853511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-20640119162618747072014-09-03T13:26:17.541-05:002014-09-03T13:26:17.541-05:00Yeah, since when does YEE beat HEE, or GEE for tha...Yeah, since when does YEE beat HEE, or GEE for that matter?<br />And what's with SAW IN for "Politely admitted"? I've seen ushers and <i>maitre d</i>'s who were far from polite yet discharged their duties. I wanted BOW IN except for the tense error. That center bottom section almost made me cheat.Ol' Man Keith https://www.blogger.com/profile/02073553138045178596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-15033630646677403182014-09-03T13:15:10.296-05:002014-09-03T13:15:10.296-05:00Irish Miss @ 12:43 - glad you enjoyed the lim'...Irish Miss @ 12:43 - glad you enjoyed the lim's today!<br /><br />I guess for me, the "attraction" to a manual gear box/stick shift, is being in control and "driving" the car, rather than letting the computerized shifter do it for me. I enjoy hearing the rev's of the engine, and "feeling" when to shift, up OR down. <br /><br />I learned how to drive on a stick, and then spent some 35 years driving Automatics, due to working in sales for a company that provided me with a car. Once I "retired" from corporate life, and had my "mid-life crisis" "buy a sports car moment", I feel like a kid again! <br /><br />Also, from a safety standpoint, it's extremely difficult, and irresponsible, to hold a cellphone while you're shifting through gears. Or eat a sandwich; drink a beverage, etc. So maybe we "shifters" are doing a public service by not being tempted into multi-tasking while driving!<br /><br />Of course, the above may be all a bunch of Bull-Shift! ;^)Chairman Moehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830681893074853511noreply@blogger.com