tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post7511609721312433397..comments2024-03-28T02:28:44.292-05:00Comments on L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Wednesday, July 4, 2018 Jeffrey WechslerZhouqin (C.C.) Burnikelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750267554729853785noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-37216212207419870422018-07-05T05:54:24.933-05:002018-07-05T05:54:24.933-05:00Was going to start working on the house again this...Was going to start working on the house again this morning. The temp is 75, but the humidity is already at 83%. <br /><br />Anon-T, not real mortars. Firework mortars, like the pros use. Except these guys were wannabes.<br />Yes, they made 2 or 3 of those launch tubes. 5 gallon pail, 3 or 4 foot section of 4" pvc centered in the pail, and wet concrete mix poured around the pvc pipe.<br /><br /><br />Excellent rebuttal Jeffrey.<br /><br />TTPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03978803962510303498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-60598271235360000332018-07-05T05:09:10.665-05:002018-07-05T05:09:10.665-05:00Here is a note from constructor Jeffrey Wechsler:
...Here is a note from constructor Jeffrey Wechsler:<br /><br /> <br />In reference to the comment from Anthony Gael Moral at 9:42 – It is reasonable that many people were expecting a Fourth of July theme today, and some seemed rather disappointed by the lack of it. However, this specific comment seemed to imply that the LA times unpatriotically shunned the Fourth and used an acting theme instead. As a constructor who has had a July 4th themed puzzle published in the LA Times, I think this notion is rather far-fetched. The LA Times puzzle editor has no control over what puzzles are submitted; it’s probably simply the case that there happened to be no July 4th-themed offerings this year. And by the way, about a month ago I thought of a July 4th related theme, but it was too close to the holiday to submit it in time. I will do so next year. Also, I am confident that whether the puzzle is accepted or not will depend solely on the professional consideration of the editor on the objective quality of the theme concept and the filled grid.<br />Zhouqin (C.C.) Burnikelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12750267554729853785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-16708285083528412842018-07-05T00:52:56.084-05:002018-07-05T00:52:56.084-05:00Michael,
Of course I meant the ability to gain a l...<b>Michael,</b><br />Of course I meant the ability to gain a language free of an accent. Language acquisition continues throughout life.<br /><br /> You might check the other posts by our colleagues to see about the cutoff for residual accents. <br /><br />~ <b>OMK</b>Ol' Man Keith https://www.blogger.com/profile/02073553138045178596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-54162088736208583382018-07-05T00:01:29.900-05:002018-07-05T00:01:29.900-05:00TTP - I knew what you meant sax/bone...
Pat - I s...TTP - I knew what you meant sax/bone...<br /><br />Pat - I saw the me-award and thought CSO! but then that's egotistical, no? <br />[though I do call rigatoni riga-me just to annoy the kids :-)]<br /><br />Moe - I can't let that @1:52p ku slide - RTFLOL!<br /><br />TTP, back to you... 4"-diameter mortars? And they thought a 5gal bucket of 'crete would hold that? Dang (er, bang?). Did they make those themselves? If not, I'm sure they got on a .gov watch-list post-haste.<br /><br />I like to have fun with boom-boom but, outside of the military, I limited my civilian use to 55g mortars.<br /><br />Cheers, -TAnonymous Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00459563526290288425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-86121709370084829822018-07-04T22:48:32.423-05:002018-07-04T22:48:32.423-05:00Owen, you slipped the riddle right by me and I was... Owen, you slipped the riddle right by me and I was looking for it <br /><br />As I mentioned rainman coincidentally did put forth a riddle homophone. <br /><br />Re. Quality. Remember, you only have four _J words to "l'ick". So I'm giving you all W's. <br /><br />WCWilbur Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08905123297841127198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-37149508939276515512018-07-04T21:18:08.187-05:002018-07-04T21:18:08.187-05:00Thanks Mike Sherline and Anon-T. "25 or Six...Thanks Mike Sherline and Anon-T. "25 or Six to Four" didn't come to mind, but it was probably the first rock song that turned me on to sax. Had the album and 8-track ! <br /><br />The frequency of the fireworks and mortars going off in the neighborhood are increasing as the evening has grown darker.<br /><br />Forever etched in my mind will be about ten or twelve years ago when a couple of my neighbors were in the third or fourth year of their growing celebration of Independence.<br /><br />That year they built homemade mortar launchers. 4" PVC pipes cemented in five gallon pails. Light the mortar, drop it in the PVC tube, and run. Six or seven went way up in the air and created tremendous explosions of sound. The last one didn't. It exploded in the pail. A shard of the PVC embedded in my neighbor's chest. A piece of concrete blew out the other idiot's rear view window in his company minivan. He later claimed it was vandals.<br /><br />That was the last year they had Fourth of July fireworks.TTPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03978803962510303498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-34175603665389118922018-07-04T21:13:28.087-05:002018-07-04T21:13:28.087-05:00PK, that rendition of "The Stars and Stripes ...PK, that rendition of "The Stars and Stripes Forever" was wonderful. A brilliant piece of music and a brilliant arrangement! Thanks.Bill Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04495413609545426668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-34965689592790741312018-07-04T21:06:11.347-05:002018-07-04T21:06:11.347-05:00I got Cruciverb okay last night and Tues, but had ...I got Cruciverb okay last night and Tues, but had to work Monday at Mensa. But hey, no circles! Didn't need them, but this is the first time I can recall some having them and some not (excepting Mensa puzzlers, of course).<br /><br />A lot of fun comments today. Spiro Agnew, Moe, PK, WikWak, IM, Neil Simon, et alia!<br /><br />While I originally required of myself to use the exact word in my poems, I've been more lenient in recent years, which explains why I used CANINE instead of CANIS, and also how I seem to have disguised today's Jumble answer so well in the first l'ick that it wasn't seen! <br /><br />BTW, today's l'icks show how poorly my writing has been the past couple months. The first one is a reworking of one I wrote years ago to include phrases from today's CW & J_, the other two I wrote just this morning.OwenKLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16709695380239557575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-21223944766240586452018-07-04T21:01:52.333-05:002018-07-04T21:01:52.333-05:00TTP - I see Mike S beat me by 3 minutes: 25 or 6 ...TTP - I see Mike S beat me by 3 minutes: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yZT3qpc1qM" rel="nofollow">25 or 6 to 4</a>. Cheers, -TAnonymous Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00459563526290288425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-280577834565596062018-07-04T20:58:06.418-05:002018-07-04T20:58:06.418-05:00TTP @ 2036 - James Pankow in Chicago, poss. also i...TTP @ 2036 - James Pankow in Chicago, poss. also in CTA. Great solo in "25 or 6 to 4" and a real nice harmony line in "Saturday in the Park". The absolutely amazing Dave Bargeron in BS&T. Two fabulous, wild solos in "Redemption" and (I know you didn't ask, but) a short (8 bar) kicky, ebullient tuba solo in "Go Down Gamblin". He's prominent on many of the cuts on all of their albums, and is just a fine musician, as are all the players in that group.Mike Sherlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420362294423320273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-44357899483472300342018-07-04T20:37:52.632-05:002018-07-04T20:37:52.632-05:00Canadian and Spitz - so glad you both tried and me...Canadian and Spitz - so glad you both tried and mentioned your success with Cruciverb. I have been attempting to access it solely via my usual bookmark; it never occurred to me to try navigating there through the front door in a browser. That worked properly, so far as I could tell. Interesting!Dudleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07587399549104728305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-893015541010491172018-07-04T20:36:39.886-05:002018-07-04T20:36:39.886-05:00Happy Fourth !
Didn't check yesterday's...Happy Fourth ! <br /><br />Didn't check yesterday's blog until bedtime. Was up at 4:30 yesterday, and started prepping and painting at 5:30. Had to get started early, before the sun got to that side of the house. It was a looooong day. Anyway, thanks for the compliments and I will endeavor to not make the dessert / desert mistake again. :>)<br /><br />Nice puzzle today. Had trouble in the NE but got it done, unaided. Thanks Jeffrey and JazzBumpa. Didn't have circles, but caught the awards easily enough. <br /><br />I was trying to think of any rock-n-roll songs with trombones. Came up empty. Desper-otto ? <br /><br />I'd also never heard of a rock-n-roll band play the bagpipes until I heard AC DC play "IT'S A LONG WAY TO THE TOP (IF YOU WANNA ROCK 'N' ROLL)"<br /><br />My top three rock saxophonists would be 1) "The Big Man" Clarence Clemmons on Springsteen's Born To Run album - a "must-have" album, 2) Bobby Keys of the Rolling Stones, notably on the song, "Can't You Hear Me Knockin'" and 3) Chris Wood of Traffic on Low Spark of High Heeled Boys. If you haven't heard the songs, I would encourage you to listen to them just to hear the sax. <br /><br />Anon-T, APROPOS to note that Canada has a 4th of July too. :>)<br />TTPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03978803962510303498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-45455095914574849972018-07-04T17:57:45.965-05:002018-07-04T17:57:45.965-05:00PS - soprano trombone = slide trumpet, pretty much...PS - soprano trombone = slide trumpet, pretty much a novelty instrument. Don't think I've ever seen a sopranino - slide piccolo trumpet? Mike Sherlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420362294423320273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-47689254747805569782018-07-04T17:54:33.001-05:002018-07-04T17:54:33.001-05:00The trombonist "playing with himself" is...The trombonist "playing with himself" is Christopher Bill. JzB has given us links to him before - every year he puts up a month of fresh arrangements of Christmas songs. Seems to me he just keeps getting better, both at playing and at the technical stuff.<br /><br />Trombones in general use today are mostly tenor and bass. Alto is still used for some 1st parts in some Renaissance, Classical and early Romantic Period works, and contrabass in a few operas. Verdi specified cimbasso because it blends with the trombones better than the tuba does, though he wrote a tuba part (even a solo) in Falstaff. Cimbasso is kind of a valve bass trombone.<br /><br />And JzB thanks for the great expo with all the tbn. links. I did enjoy your community band - made me nostalgic for those and the orchestras I played in before moving to this rural area where there's nothing. I think the last time I got to play Stars & Stripes and 1812 was in the summer of '12, and at times like this I really miss it.<br /><br />So sorry to hear of the death of Bill Watrous. As you said, truly one of the greats. I looked him up and was surprised to find out that he was 79; for some reason I thought he was a lot younger - maybe just because my memory's stuck in MY youth. I loved hearing Shadow and Unforgettable, and listened to some of the U of Md. clinic w/the Tennessee group. Great stuff, and there's a lot more on You Tube. Thanks for all of that.Mike Sherlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420362294423320273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-17030068926322586972018-07-04T17:44:39.501-05:002018-07-04T17:44:39.501-05:00Yes that was it. I'd forgotten that.
Not tha...Yes that was it. I'd forgotten that. <br /><br />Not that CATS' methods don't work as well or better. As our constructors are wont to clue: _ _ _ _ Threat word<br /><br />WCWilbur Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08905123297841127198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-86736143175659265452018-07-04T17:42:04.927-05:002018-07-04T17:42:04.927-05:00OMK @ 3:41 --
"I thought it was about age 6 ...OMK @ 3:41 --<br /><br />"I thought it was about age 6 that the cutoff in language acquisition occurred. But I checked and it seems that 14 is more likely the age."<br /><br />No, from experience, language acquisition at a native level is possible up to the early 20's. It's harder the older you get, because how we shape our mouths to make sounds becomes increasingly canalized, but not impossible.<br /><br />But somewhere in the mid-20's, it's like epoxy: we become set in our oralizing, and our accent in the other language will accompany our efforts.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13270740184766230842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-45854493948961564022018-07-04T17:33:02.985-05:002018-07-04T17:33:02.985-05:00WW @ 1414 - I don't normally go to Cruciverb, ...WW @ 1414 - I don't normally go to Cruciverb, but I just tried it and it worked for me.<br /><br />Misty @ 1535 and others - - I agree about the age for language learning and minimizing any residual accent. In 1951, a displaced (WWII) German family moved into our school district; 5 children ages 6 - 15. The 6 and 8 year-olds were speaking good English, accent free in a few months. The oldest 2 had a much harder time and continued to have a thick accent.Spitzboovhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04448007368332133086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-91353819460987026792018-07-04T17:12:21.225-05:002018-07-04T17:12:21.225-05:00Sunday's WaPo by Evan Birnholz had "soup ...Sunday's WaPo by Evan Birnholz had "soup or salad" as a clue for two entries, so as soon as side didn't fit I knew right away what the right answer was.Northwest Runnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16393323369312291931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-61473266640656972122018-07-04T16:58:04.477-05:002018-07-04T16:58:04.477-05:00Good Afternoon, Jazzbumpa and friends. Late getti...Good Afternoon, Jazzbumpa and friends. Late getting to the blog today. Spent a lovely 4th of July at the zoo.<br /><br />I laughed when I uncovered the Quit Working = DIE, since I recently "quit working", ie, retired, but not to DIE.<br /><br />My favorite clue was Org. Providing Creature Comfort = ASPCA.<br /><br />The first time I had CEVICHE was from a street vendor on the Yucatan Peninsula. I didn't get sick, and I loved the food.<br /><br />NABOBs occasionally pops up in the puzzles, and of course, I immediately think of those Nattering Nabobs of Negativity.<br /><br />I read a few Sue Grafton novels, but got tired of them after a while. There seemed to be all so formulaic. It is a bit jarring, though, to read books that make references to typewriters and phone booths. Those seem to be in such a distant past!<br /><br />Happy Independence Day, Everyone. Stay Safe!<br /><br />QOD: If no one ever took risks, Michaleangelo would have painted the Sistine floor. ~ Neil Simon (b. July 4, 1927)Hahtoolahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03439791473590708547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-2241314332800958202018-07-04T15:57:49.289-05:002018-07-04T15:57:49.289-05:00PK, loved the music. Kind of a fusion of concert ...PK, loved the music. Kind of a fusion of concert and fire drill.Jinx in Norfolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10066853291104407732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-30019576643080195342018-07-04T15:50:48.455-05:002018-07-04T15:50:48.455-05:00Wow! I finished a Jeff W. puzzle! Some crunch, b...Wow! I finished a Jeff W. puzzle! Some crunch, but it is Wednesday. Loved the write-up, JzB<br /><br />Fav:46a Leave the firm to work solo/GO OUT ON YOUR OWN. DH did that 30+ years ago, still enjoys his job. He could retire, but then what would he do?<br /><br />Second fav:24d Adoptee from 38a/PET. Yep, mine is an adoptee from a different shelter.<br /><br />38a ASPCA. In Cincinnati we have SCPA, School for Creative and Performing Arts. I get them confused.<br /><br />CSO to AnonT at the TONY award.<br /><br />JzB, my original plan for tomorrow was to drive up to Ann Arbor, have dinner with sister and BIL, then we would go to your concert, taking care of family stuff on Friday. Unfortunately, we have to do some of the family stuff tomorrow evening so we'll miss the concert. One of these years I want to attend a concert.<br /><br />The hot/humid weather continues for a couple more days. The weekend is supposed to be pleasant. I hope.<br /><br />Happy 4th of July!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-36503680466075515442018-07-04T15:42:11.403-05:002018-07-04T15:42:11.403-05:00WikWak@2:14- I did the CW in my newspaper, but whe...WikWak@2:14- I did the CW in my newspaper, but when I saw your comment, I went to Cruciverb on Safari on my iPad (just like I did on Monday); it opened as usual and I could open the CW on AcrossLite. I'm not sure if this is an IOS thing, a Canadian thing or something else, but Cruciverb is working for some of us!<br /><br />AnonT- yes we are having a happy (and hot) Fourth here in Canada too!😀CanadianEh!https://www.blogger.com/profile/05688358229402732332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-3864961728778128392018-07-04T15:41:39.552-05:002018-07-04T15:41:39.552-05:00I thought it was about age 6 that the cutoff in la...I thought it was about age 6 that the cutoff in language acquisition occurred. But I checked and it seems that 14 is more likely the age.<br /><br />Witness Henry Kissinger and his young brother who apparently has no accent at all.Ol' Man Keith https://www.blogger.com/profile/02073553138045178596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-75301211058090516452018-07-04T15:37:59.736-05:002018-07-04T15:37:59.736-05:00There's a big dampener on the front page of to...<b>There's a big dampener </b>on the front page of today's <i>L.A. Times</i> in the lead article on the air pollution caused by fireworks.<br />Seems that a standard fireworks display forces air quality into the highly poisonous zone - and that the pollution lingers for over a day afterward.<br /><br />I loved the comment by one of the experts who said, "“We’re not telling people to not have fireworks or anything, but we do want to let people know that there’s usually a heightened health impact ..."<br /><br />Great. Thanks a lot.<br /><br />~ <b>OMK</b>Ol' Man Keith https://www.blogger.com/profile/02073553138045178596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-837783805586184422018-07-04T15:35:50.099-05:002018-07-04T15:35:50.099-05:00Thank you for the kind words, Wilbur. Apparently k...Thank you for the kind words, Wilbur. Apparently kids who learn English before puberty, can learn it like a native, without having to study it or think about it very much. So I was lucky I was only ten at the time. But C.C.s total brilliance in constructing her amazing crossword puzzles is a form of genius, in my opinion. Joseph Conrad, likewise.Mistyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17570695193695039956noreply@blogger.com