tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post5360379762894777312..comments2024-03-28T18:52:07.432-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: French novelist Pierre / FRI 3-12-11 / Columbarium object / Daughter in Cherry Orchard / Children's author EleanorRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53644036746448640922011-04-16T13:14:19.909-04:002011-04-16T13:14:19.909-04:00[3/11 syndic+ Apr’11] DNF but living in San Franc...[3/11 syndic+ Apr’11] DNF but living in San Francisco knew about Lefty ODOUL and columbariums where they keep URNS. The Neptune Society’s San Francisco Columbarium – the remaining structure from an early 20th century Odd Fellows Cemetery – is actually a local ‘attraction’; Google “San Francisco Columbarium” for pictures and Yelp reviews. (Or try this -- http://www.californios.us/columbarium/ -- if ‘links’ post I’m not sure.)<br /><br />5 weeks later and still disturbing news from Japan. Local news coverage here, from the start, has been disappointing focusing more on harbor damage in Santa Cruz & Crescent City than Japan. Not that I’m not empathetic to the California costal communities, but it would have/ would be nice to have better coverage of actual events in Japan.lodsfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05345395843784742434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6468741614305004952011-04-16T01:36:41.188-04:002011-04-16T01:36:41.188-04:00Geezer alert - I grew up in San Francisco as a SF ...Geezer alert - I grew up in San Francisco as a SF Seals (AAA Pacific Coast League) fan. Lefty O'Doul managed them for what seemed like forever. He was a popular chaacter around town.Longbeachleenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25652559291701277952011-04-15T16:36:42.065-04:002011-04-15T16:36:42.065-04:00It's 5 weeks after the earthquake/tsunami disa...It's 5 weeks after the earthquake/tsunami disaster in Japan and and the magnitude of the death and destruction it caused is still being determined - and the nuclear near-catastrophe it precipitated is still out of control. All of us have been affected to some degree by this event, but soon enough the news cycle will move on to something more important - celebrity misbehavior possibly - and all will be forgotten, except by those who lost everyone and/or everything and have to rebuild their lives from scratch. Life goes on.<br /><br />As to the puzzle, I liked it. First run-through of all the clues produced a dozen answers, all correct it turns out, which provided enough of a toehold to get started on the long answers. SOUNDTHERETREAT fell first and LITERARYSTUDIES went in last for all the reasons discussed by the prime-timers. THREETENS is a good poker hand, but so is a fullhouse and THREEaces is even better. so I had to wait a while for that corner to sort itself out.<br /><br />Still sad about Japan, though.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55329057535060455772011-03-12T15:31:59.469-05:002011-03-12T15:31:59.469-05:00Way late with this comment, but...
I taught in a ...Way late with this comment, but...<br /><br />I taught in a school where the library was named after Eleanor Estes. She grew up in our town (West Haven, CT) and made many references to the geography of the area in her stories. I met her once and she was a delight. Highly recommend 'The Hundred Dresses' to teach youngsters about mean spiritedness and its damage.Chip Hiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944056030047563287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65100058074127048302011-03-12T14:19:25.730-05:002011-03-12T14:19:25.730-05:00Did anyone else have a missing letter where sapor ...Did anyone else have a missing letter where sapor crossed loess? two words that were not in my vocabulary until today.Willhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09382385095545716698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63470321958628683652011-03-12T01:31:44.991-05:002011-03-12T01:31:44.991-05:00That's stunning. Cool oldies.That's stunning. Cool oldies.Yahswe Sukuyugihttp://shows.thetvstream.info/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22137182916591098672011-03-11T23:24:36.268-05:002011-03-11T23:24:36.268-05:00@ Wade, Always a hoot when you drop by.@ Wade, Always a hoot when you drop by.Two Ponieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06896743444873087885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15294761206320267922011-03-11T23:08:46.721-05:002011-03-11T23:08:46.721-05:00@Wade, even though I'm bummed about Japan, I s...@Wade, even though I'm bummed about Japan, I swear you had me hooting with laughter. Thank you!!foodiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13052189131129098616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24833760954664201792011-03-11T23:04:40.515-05:002011-03-11T23:04:40.515-05:00I'm pretty sure that English majors devote the...I'm pretty sure that English majors devote the majority of their concentration to Literary Studies as opposed to, say, the subtelties of Physics for Poets.<br />Otherwise, what Wade said. Come to think of it, just what Wade said.Petenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30269866109786418672011-03-11T23:04:36.722-05:002011-03-11T23:04:36.722-05:00Townes lives.Townes lives.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03562361365029690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81209158340527691962011-03-11T22:03:26.240-05:002011-03-11T22:03:26.240-05:00@Foodie: so true.@Foodie: so true.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62416260022726922962011-03-11T22:01:30.474-05:002011-03-11T22:01:30.474-05:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 7/30/2009 post 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 6:55, 6:55, 1.00, 53%, Medium<br />Tue 7:15, 8:55, 0.81, 4%, Easy<br />Wed 10:48, 11:43, 0.92, 38%, Easy-Medium<br />Thu 18:13, 19:08, 0.96, 45%, Medium<br />Fri 24:55, 26:14, 0.95, 40%, Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:32, 3:41, 0.96, 34%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 3:42, 4:34, 0.81, 2%, Easy<br />Wed 5:33, 5:47, 0.96, 42%, Medium<br />Thu 9:02, 9:12, 0.98, 58%, Medium<br />Fri 12:23, 12:52, 0.96, 49%, Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68189344911173375232011-03-11T21:55:11.366-05:002011-03-11T21:55:11.366-05:00Thanks to all who commented on the Verdi question ...Thanks to all who commented on the Verdi question - I appreciate your insight!Astridhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10376144058529792580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23302949031580170672011-03-11T21:37:49.970-05:002011-03-11T21:37:49.970-05:00@foodie: Yes, my thoughts too.@foodie: Yes, my thoughts too.GILL I.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05605766053820226324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-64807163177743404952011-03-11T21:33:19.237-05:002011-03-11T21:33:19.237-05:00@Wade, at U of Iowa the dumping ground was Compara...@Wade, at U of Iowa the dumping ground was Comparative Literature or Comp Lit - and in the Political Science Department. More Deconstruction there than I care to import.fikinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06324570637549775751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38495425236113011742011-03-11T21:13:20.135-05:002011-03-11T21:13:20.135-05:00@Astrid
Having taken 2 semesters of Italian, I can...@Astrid<br />Having taken 2 semesters of Italian, I can safely say the NEI is legit -- like NEL, it's a contraction meaning "in the..." but for a masculine plural noun. Where I have a problem is with "giardin" -- I was certain the plural was "giardini."davkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09661794533403708226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36728777201621025542011-03-11T20:48:30.430-05:002011-03-11T20:48:30.430-05:00Anonymous (if that is your real name), nothing wro...Anonymous (if that is your real name), nothing wrong with those universities' English departments as far as I know. The point some of us may have been trying to make is that presumably everything an English department offers is related to literary studies, but that's a naive view, I realize, because even when I was a professional English major the English departments were dumping grounds for whatever political or theoretical school of thought or area of study was in vogue at the moment, some of which were only nominally related to literary studies. When I was in grad school, Chiapas was all the rage, and Subcomandante Marcos, so your thesis or dissertation better have something to do with that. Then clearness was the rage (remember Crystal Pepsi?) and then it was wideness (wide-stick deodorant, wider mouths on beer bottles), and then for awhile you couldn't find anything on a restaurant menu that wasn't chipotle. I've forgotten now what we were talking about. Oh, yes, Tom T. Hall. Check out his great songs "Trip to Hayden" and "Homecoming" and "That's How I Got to Memphis."Wadehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Pepsinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12604554322591588122011-03-11T20:10:31.087-05:002011-03-11T20:10:31.087-05:00For the purists regarding "Literary Studies,&...For the purists regarding "Literary Studies," a little Googling generates the following:<br /><br />Washington State University, Department of English offers “Literary studies, an option in the English major …”<br /><br />Georgia State University, Department of English offers five "concentrations" in their B.A. in English, including “Literary Studies.”<br /><br />University of Wisconsin, Department of English offers Ph.D. programs in “Literary Studies,” as well as Composition & Rhetoric, Applied English Linguistics, Creative Writing, and others.<br /><br />Iowa State University, Department of English offers undergraduate “concentrations” in “Literary Studies,” English Education, and Rhetorical Studies.<br /><br />I realize these are probably not the premier English departments in the U.S., but they are all respectable universities.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76110229787198729862011-03-11T18:40:07.159-05:002011-03-11T18:40:07.159-05:00Thanks kratsman, I'll give it a shot...Thanks kratsman, I'll give it a shot...mitchsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65012477583666889122011-03-11T18:28:26.161-05:002011-03-11T18:28:26.161-05:00MitchS--don't know what you consider alternate...MitchS--don't know what you consider alternate, cause I don't know what method you use now. But WIJ'S Puzzle Pointers and Cruciverb.com each host all of the day's puzzles. They're linked to on Rex's sidebar.kratsmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23628978025786500812011-03-11T18:17:51.092-05:002011-03-11T18:17:51.092-05:00@chefwen, same here. Glad you and your niece are O...@chefwen, same here. Glad you and your niece are OK.<br /><br />I have a previous trainee who lives right where it hit. Waiting to hear back from him.<br /><br />I guess once in while, nature reminds us who's boss.foodiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13052189131129098616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28807620077083739312011-03-11T17:46:43.695-05:002011-03-11T17:46:43.695-05:00@chefwen, been thinking of you all day. Glad you a...@chefwen, been thinking of you all day. Glad you are good.fikinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06324570637549775751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19646449525139349782011-03-11T17:42:43.478-05:002011-03-11T17:42:43.478-05:00@TwoPonies - All is well here, thanks for your con...@TwoPonies - All is well here, thanks for your concern. My niece, Maya Frommer lives in Tokyo and was on a train headed to the airport when it hit. She was interviewed by MSNBC today. She sounded pretty cool, calm, and collected but big brother confirms that she is very frightened.chefwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03999206352243329280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4190567856213939402011-03-11T17:39:54.559-05:002011-03-11T17:39:54.559-05:00Good Friday puzzle with some great clues, tough fo...Good Friday puzzle with some great clues, tough for me but ultimately doable. Never heard the word "carputer", but it's sort of cute.<br /><br />I also was way off base thinking the runner was some sort of vine in a tropical something-or-other. Thank goodness for "alotononesplate"!<br /><br />Hi Wade and Bill in NJ!machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86371464818196509142011-03-11T17:31:36.365-05:002011-03-11T17:31:36.365-05:00"Professor" Parker: I would rather drin..."Professor" Parker: I would rather drink my beer listening to Tom T. in contrast to the Physics. But I agree with their sentiments - ain't nothing like a beer.<br /><br />I am pleased, I completed a Friday in a reasonable amount of time, with no assistance. Except I picked up the book on the table next to me to confirm 55D ISBN before it occurred to me I was cheating. <br /><br />The SE reminded me of my teenage years - ENNUI in EXURBia. At least we had cows, but no resident bulls.<br /><br />I liked seeing A PIE cross SAPOR crossing APRON, which Mama would wear, no doubt.<br /><br />I have printed the MS/SH puzzle from BEQ's site, now to solve it.CoffeeLvrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16473192190412844538noreply@blogger.com