tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post6382779981532954714..comments2024-03-29T09:24:38.958-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Mr. Spock's forte — TUESDAY, Oct. 20 2009 — Leopold's 1920s co-defendant / Dame who's a hoot / Pastry sold at pizzeriasRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17883570340753710782009-11-24T13:57:12.668-05:002009-11-24T13:57:12.668-05:00Boring Tuesday Hawaii Trifles:
It's the only s...Boring Tuesday Hawaii Trifles:<br />It's the only state where coffee can be grown.<br />It's the only state with the Union Jack as part of its state flag.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26381476822967388502009-11-24T13:36:25.984-05:002009-11-24T13:36:25.984-05:00We have an old C&H refinery up the road from m...We have an old C&H refinery up the road from me in the Bay Area. But as someone who's spent time with the locals in Hawaii, I have to ask: where did they get the kids in those ads? I've never heard a kama'aina speak without a very strong accent. Kudos on the lip-syncing!Timhttp://www.clerestory.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-71169408938643012092009-10-21T19:39:54.524-04:002009-10-21T19:39:54.524-04:00HAH: this morning I thought you ended with "t...HAH: this morning I thought you ended with "the blog"machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9662052211935837432009-10-21T01:35:07.609-04:002009-10-21T01:35:07.609-04:00... which comes from the odd chemicals percolating...... which comes from the odd chemicals percolating from the bogfergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23210179691587083262009-10-21T01:00:51.215-04:002009-10-21T01:00:51.215-04:00Xman, now I have a yearning, too. As a pretty dire...Xman, now I have a yearning, too. As a pretty direct Scottish person the yen for the (water of life in the Gaelic) arises. The origins of the term are so clouded. I don't really care about the spelling -- I care about the finesse in the taste that leads to a profound reflection.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41424355172950705372009-10-21T00:44:38.145-04:002009-10-21T00:44:38.145-04:00@sanfranman, I was thinking about your concern tha...@sanfranman, I was thinking about your concern that easy puzzles early in the week hit a floor effect, and you cannot tell easy from easy/medium. I understand the issue and your desire to keep things simple by avoiding additional measures like variance. <br /><br />In watching the results of the online solvers, I think a key indicator is the number of people who can solve at incredibly high speeds. So, Orange might be in the 2-3 minute range until thursday, but few others are. The medians creep up because fewer and fewer people can approach those high speeds as the week progresses. So, in the end, I think this reflects the difficulty level and is rendered nicely by the median measure you've chosen. It all works out! I don't think there's any cause for concern, unless you get a hundred people who can all hit the 2 minute mark.foodiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13052189131129098616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53041556593111759722009-10-21T00:29:16.037-04:002009-10-21T00:29:16.037-04:00Sfingi: I grew up on those woven seats. I rode in ...Sfingi: I grew up on those woven seats. I rode in the last of the old cars as late as the late 70s on the LL, which was (maybe still is) a BMT-line train that runs from Union Square into the bowels of Brooklyn. Compared with today's sterile rolling-stock, those were models of comfort and representative of a certain lost civility.<br /><br />Fergus: Speaking of Islays, I had a yenning for Laphroig (peaty, rich, delicious), back when prices were reasonable. Now it's $50/bottle.slypetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537129206516720012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31644517068879508482009-10-21T00:05:35.300-04:002009-10-21T00:05:35.300-04:00I tried LSD once when I was 17 and it was brillian...I tried LSD once when I was 17 and it was brilliant. Not in a sugar cube, nor on a piece of blotter paper, nor that supposed window pane delivery by the eye. Yikes. We've been through all that acid trip on this blog before -- thankfully mine was a magical completion of the curiosity I harboured in 1975. Not to be square or anything now, I'm still open to Ecstasy, given appropriate circumstances. That's probably passe by now ...fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59719015519161551262009-10-20T23:30:32.598-04:002009-10-20T23:30:32.598-04:00How much would I like to have Ms Green Mantis comm...How much would I like to have Ms Green Mantis commenting again? A lot. Been texting with her just recently, and while we didn't even touch upon Xwords, I sense that she could be drawn back into play on this blog. I know she has many other adherents who appreciate the writing style, so as long as this missive isn't overkill, I hope we get her public voice back.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4027723306454153652009-10-20T22:08:26.935-04:002009-10-20T22:08:26.935-04:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my <a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=35115061&postID=3588389571383499624&isPopup=true" rel="nofollow">7/30/2009 post</a> for an explanation. In a nutshell, the higher the ratio, the higher this week's median solve time is relative to the average for the corresponding day of the week.<br /><br />All solvers (this week's median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Mon 6:21, 7:00, 0.91, 27%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 7:56, 8:36, 0.92, 31%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:25, 3:44, 0.91, 26%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 4:07, 4:24, 0.93, 34%, Easy-Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62072245932810642572009-10-20T21:41:04.945-04:002009-10-20T21:41:04.945-04:00Most partial to Lagavullin, and the other smokey I...Most partial to Lagavullin, and the other smokey Islay malts. Saw a single malt from New Zealand the other day while recreationally shopping. Do they have peat bogs down there?fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60950285484719196712009-10-20T21:08:28.875-04:002009-10-20T21:08:28.875-04:00The whole stay at home dad thing is so pukey polit...The whole stay at home dad thing is so pukey politically correct but what can you expect from a turd of a newspaper like the Times.Miss Lnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24927152851569904242009-10-20T20:57:26.189-04:002009-10-20T20:57:26.189-04:00@Daniel - bend over for your bamboo lashing.
Love...@Daniel - bend over for your bamboo lashing.<br /><br />Love that video. Never heard of C&H, but, the answer to Why Hawaii? is Obama. <br />I remember taking the subway in the '60s (pre-graffiti, straw seats) with little kids fresh from the South sucking on sugar cane.<br /><br />@Bluebell - my generation used something else, before they called it meth. One night = 3 credits in economics. Sho wuz nice.<br /><br />@Icculus - Mount Carmel is a place in the Holy Land with religious connections. Many US churches named Our Lady of.<br /><br />@Elaine - thanx for California and Hawaii. Bofum.<br />@ McColl- thanx for busby.<br />GOTTA learn something everyday.<br /><br />Tim and Ken - No offense, but thought you were dead. Or was I tripping? As Einstein said, there's no such thing as time.<br /><br />Double Dewars on the rocks. As a kid, thought it was double doers (extra-maritals) who were getting divorced. Mine was a non-drinking family, so I was a booze idiot. Also, check out the 2 plurals of whiskeys/whiskies in (haha) Wiki. Whisky is apparently Gaelic for aquavita or water of life. So, how to spell a Gaelic word?<br /><br />Though I got the theme items, and saw the clue, I never got past thinking Popeye. My theme blindness. At first, had hassle for 13D TUSSLE and Esau for 16A EZRA. And stopat for the before-mentioned STAYAT. Speeding on my part.<br /><br />Finally, sausage roll is not a pastry - the dough hasn't enough fat and no sugar. But, sho iz nice.<br />Give me a hit of that.Sfinginoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85833132539404868212009-10-20T19:43:48.777-04:002009-10-20T19:43:48.777-04:00@dk-
That is a road well travelled, sir, one I ha...@dk-<br /><br />That is a road well travelled, sir, one I have found myself on before.<br /><br />The one time . . . <br /><br />Ain't it the truth.Bill from NJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10103923612595508277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20488401139322894942009-10-20T19:33:37.506-04:002009-10-20T19:33:37.506-04:00@ Glitch - I would join you in happy hour, but I h...@ Glitch - I would join you in happy hour, but I have a sleep study tonight which means I can't drink.retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32612587337479608422009-10-20T19:30:40.496-04:002009-10-20T19:30:40.496-04:00Ken, What are you talking about man?
I'm stand...Ken, What are you talking about man?<br />I'm standing right next to you.<br />Dr. TimAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-8708620210250090672009-10-20T19:04:53.609-04:002009-10-20T19:04:53.609-04:00@Mac & @Sethg
If you are going to use Lake Er...@Mac & @Sethg<br /><br />If you are going to use Lake Erie, its probably better as "Lake Erie: North America as Chunnel:Europe", at least both the latter are continents.<br /><br />Then there is the Sault Sainte Marie Canals ;)<br /><br />----<br /><br />While traveling, I may STOP AT many places for a VISIT, including the fleabag I may eventually "stay at" overnight.<br /><br />Operative word = VISIT<br />--- <br /><br />@Anon 6:45p (T. Leary)<br /><br />…or, it was as much as a “given” as 71A, nothing special.<br /><br />As to whisk(e)y, off to uncork some wine to salute the day this blog returned to [primarily] discussing the puzzle!<br /><br />.../Glitch<br /><br />PS: That last comment is meant as a tribute to the puzzle, not a criticism of the scintillating comments of the last few days :)Glitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14940000404613329056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16217755272418833942009-10-20T19:01:38.178-04:002009-10-20T19:01:38.178-04:00@Timmy L - Or maybe it just went without saying. ...@Timmy L - Or maybe it just went without saying. Miss seeing you DudeK Keseynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38226732370308401702009-10-20T18:45:06.783-04:002009-10-20T18:45:06.783-04:00Only one comment about the LSD clue? Either this g...Only one comment about the LSD clue? Either this group isn't as hip as I thought or you're too afraid to admit experimenting in the past. Sugar cubes are more stereotypical but blotter paper was more durable and less obvious. Those were the days.....<br />T. LearyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84425948857533595302009-10-20T18:40:12.497-04:002009-10-20T18:40:12.497-04:00foodie: The Brits would say it's the other way...foodie: The Brits would say it's the other way 'round! Remember the great Times (I believe) headline of many years ago: Heavy Fog. Continent Isolated?<br /><br />Meg: If you hyphenate 15 minutes (15-minutes), you create a singular noun. No way to distinguish it in speech though.slypetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537129206516720012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60562877358559980292009-10-20T18:40:01.416-04:002009-10-20T18:40:01.416-04:00@Bill from NJ, dk has a rule always fact check bef...@Bill from NJ, dk has a rule always fact check before you post and the one time....<br /><br />I stand corrected.dkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17317008233459295376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87773754765072524802009-10-20T18:14:53.213-04:002009-10-20T18:14:53.213-04:00@SethG: I thought of using Canada and one of its s...@SethG: I thought of using Canada and one of its straits, but it is so huge that I was afraid I was going to be called on it...<br />I did want to use a body of water, though. You're absolutely right, Lake Michigan would have been better, or my first idea, the Erie Canal.<br /><br />@Foodie: I think most Europeans think of Great Britain as part of Europe (it's on the European plateau, after all), but it's the English who always talk about the rest of Europe as a separate entity, The Continent.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25543087310227504492009-10-20T17:58:00.237-04:002009-10-20T17:58:00.237-04:00Re the STOPAT war, I agree with @Joho and @Clark t...Re the STOPAT war, I agree with @Joho and @Clark that STOP AT has this unplanned sense that people who take long road trips would recognize. Driving from the West Coast to Michigan, we stopped at practically every Residence Inn we saw (we like their kitchens... It's all about food : ) <br /><br />@ sethg and mac, I feel that Great Britain barely classifies itself as European, so the clue was particularly unsatisfying-- the point of the Chunnel is to link GB to Continental Europe...foodiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13052189131129098616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-42552254884304690772009-10-20T17:47:38.394-04:002009-10-20T17:47:38.394-04:00What the heck-- I'll leave another Comment.
I...What the heck-- I'll leave another Comment.<br /><br />I meant to say "Tropical fruit"...which was my mis-reading of "Tropicana fruit"....<br /><br />And C&H sugar--California and Hawaiian...because there were NO refineries in Hawaii. The cane was grown and processed up to a point--large golden-brown crystals--and then shipped to the Mainland for refining into white, white, white sugar. I am not sure how much sugar cane (or pineapple) cultivation still occurs in Hawaii, but when I lived there I loved seeing the different greens of the plantations on the distant hills.Elainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13195458656221202202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73661452127114085332009-10-20T17:42:54.641-04:002009-10-20T17:42:54.641-04:00I did this one around 4 a.m., then went on with th...I did this one around 4 a.m., then went on with the day...Just now visiting the Comments. <br /><br />Hand up for MOM instead of DAD, at least til I started the down clues...and I wanted PAPAYA instead of ORANGE, because I read the clue as "Tropic fruit"...Well, it was early. <br />I had AWOKE for 31A, and since I didn't know the Munsters or the Sarkozys I had my own personal Natick going with Uncle FESTEW and CARLAK...finally corrected.<br /><br />Hand up for STOP IN...and also for a puzzle rating of "Meh," since I had no interest in random non-anagrams of GEARS. Enjoyed the write-up and the Comments, though!Elainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13195458656221202202noreply@blogger.com