tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post994280211358125295..comments2024-03-28T10:51:00.393-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Imager of the earth's surface / TUE 11-26-13 / Transitional zone between plant communities / Modern home of ancient Zapotec civilization / Extinct ostrichlike bird / Hawaii five-o nickname / Friend of Porky SpankyRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9600844307138627052013-12-31T20:45:05.129-05:002013-12-31T20:45:05.129-05:00Tough Tough workout. Played like a Friday. Liked...Tough Tough workout. Played like a Friday. Liked most of it more than OFL, but there seemed to be an overabundance of WOE and WTF. The clue for ESPRIT is a stretch. I like TABLOIDBUZZ, and ESCALATORCLAUSE, but I don't think they're fair on Tuesday.<br /><br />SAMUELadams beer is delicious when it's on tap, but in the bottle I find it undrinkable.<br /><br />Happy New Year, syndifriends, Hope 2014 treats you well!Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07156872089175084024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87775232974212286522013-12-31T17:53:12.951-05:002013-12-31T17:53:12.951-05:00I liked it and I managed to avoid finishing with O...I liked it and I managed to avoid finishing with OWS by resisting the temptation to change ECOTONE to ECOzONE, which I really, really wanted but I knew ETRE could not possibly be wrong (thanks again to my French I teacher, Miss Baker).<br /><br />I bought a wireless outdoor thermometer as a New Year's gift to myself - I'm already starting to regret it. But at least it's not reading -50 as is forecast for @J. aussiegirl.<br /><br />Happy New Year Syndi-neighbors. If the skies are clear in your part of the world Thursday night/Friday morning check out the Quadrantid meteor shower that peaks then.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7876200131106699592013-12-31T17:25:03.040-05:002013-12-31T17:25:03.040-05:00Belated Happy Birthday to Rex--hope you had a good...Belated Happy Birthday to Rex--hope you had a good day despite your feelings about the puzzle.<br /><br />Happy New Year to syndipeeps. I will have copious amounts of champers this evening--got a DD along.<br /><br />So Lao has no plurals, yet the country is named Laos. I have noticed, though, that people who have been there always call it Lao (no 's'). <br /><br />There were flashes of cleverness in this one, and I couldn't really get worked up about some of the fill that bothered others, PLUS learning that ESCALATOR and TABLOID are/were trademarks was nice.<br /><br />Discussion about intellectual property protection reminds me of the lawsuit that Starbucks launched against a little cafe in Yorkton Saskatchewan, owned by Bob and Lil Starbuck, and which they called, naturally, Starbuck's Cafe. I guess I now understand why they sued, but I find it sort of...sad.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39615094526126388372013-12-31T14:33:55.848-05:002013-12-31T14:33:55.848-05:00Enjoyed this one. Some fun words (SCOOBYDOO), and ...Enjoyed this one. Some fun words (SCOOBYDOO), and a little bit of learning (LAO has no singular forms) add up to a nice Tuesday.<br /><br />@Evan. You make me realize my age! When I was a little girl growing up in San Francisco, preWWII, the RAGMAN regularly came down the streets with his horse-pulled green wagon calling "Rags, bottles, and papers". The original recycler??<br /><br />Happy New Year All-stay safe!DMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18564797819827927592013-12-31T12:10:10.901-05:002013-12-31T12:10:10.901-05:00The Scoobmeister was not a shaggy dog. Don't l...The Scoobmeister was not a shaggy dog. Don't like the clue.<br /><br />Quick wit = ESPIRIT?<br /><br />The clue for 32D didn't denote an answer with initials.<br /><br />I don't know if any of the other posters answered Rex's question about ESCALATORCLAUSEs, but they're a common contractual method of insuring timely completion of construction. Get it done when you say you can or the clause kicks in. Conversely, finish ahead of schedule and get a bonus.<br /><br />53A was a good head fake.<br /><br />Happy New Year Syndylanders all.<br /><br />Since when are the capchas your social security number?Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78968813844531939872013-12-31T11:29:16.231-05:002013-12-31T11:29:16.231-05:00And a Happy New Year to you too, @spacecraft 10:03...And a Happy New Year to you too, @spacecraft 10:03, and others out here. <br /><br />It was a surprise to see ESPRIT show up as an answer in the grid; I always expected it meant positive morale in the face of hardship, as in esprit de corps.<br /><br />I did not know the Samuel Adams found in a bar, so learned again that there is always something to learn.<br /><br />Heading out later this evening to toast in the new year with friends even though the forecast is for -50C or something similar.J.aussiegirlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-754563999142282912013-12-31T10:03:51.928-05:002013-12-31T10:03:51.928-05:00TABLOID a TRADEMARK? Who knew? Hey, getcha daily T...TABLOID a TRADEMARK? Who knew? Hey, getcha daily TABLOID! All the news that's unfit to print. Oh well, learn something new every day.<br /><br />I am NOT willing to "learn" that "Quick wit" can mean ESPRIT. That clue/answer was a big HUH?? for me. Liked SCOOBYDOO and BEAUTIFUL, not so much ABAB, AHAB in the same grid, and I/ATE/IN.<br /><br />Spotty effort; signs of brilliance alongside signs of what-the-hey-that's-good-enough. If you find yourself expressing that sentiment, maybe it's time to rethink things.<br /><br />Happy New Year, syndilanders!spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68900722195225027042013-11-27T11:46:17.034-05:002013-11-27T11:46:17.034-05:00Um, INKS is a terrible answer AS CLUED.
CIAOS is j...Um, INKS is a terrible answer AS CLUED.<br />CIAOS is just terrible no matter how clued.<br />ECOTONE is awful fill.<br /><br />Theme is OK.<br /><br />Happy Birthday Rex.Namelessnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23711942930351860442013-11-26T23:51:56.084-05:002013-11-26T23:51:56.084-05:00The term often used to describe the process of a t...The term often used to describe the process of a trademark losing its distinctiveness and becoming a generic term is "genericide." I'm mainly just pointing that out because I think "genericide" is a fantastic word.<br /><br />Happy birthday, Rex!Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15336260911834780345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33052593210744150022013-11-26T23:32:56.360-05:002013-11-26T23:32:56.360-05:00Regarding tabloid, I think the trademark was meant...Regarding tabloid, I think the trademark was meant to be TAB (as in the diet soda of old.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-137852689465450812013-11-26T22:03:15.666-05:002013-11-26T22:03:15.666-05:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 8/1/2009 post for an explanation and my 10/15/2012 post for an explanation of a tweak I've made to my method. 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 6:29, 6:07, 1.06, 79%, Medium-Challenging<br />Tue 9:06, 8:12, 1.11, 76%, Medium-Challenging<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 4:08, 3:46, 1.10, 85%, Challenging<br />Tue 5:36, 5:01, 1.12, 79%, Medium-Challengingsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87590763519970807872013-11-26T19:00:02.400-05:002013-11-26T19:00:02.400-05:00@Anonymous, 6:15 - The cast of the "Our Gang&...@Anonymous, 6:15 - The cast of the "Our Gang" comedies included<br /><br /><br /> George "Spanky" McFarland<br /> Scotty Beckett<br /> Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas<br /> Jerry Tucker<br /> Leonard Kibrick<br /> Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer <br /> Harold Switzer<br /> Darla Hood<br /> Eugene "Porky" Lee<br /> Patsy May<br /> Pete the Pup<br />Bob Kerfufflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02615811802419025933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50581781188030046372013-11-26T18:15:17.585-05:002013-11-26T18:15:17.585-05:00What's a Darla?What's a Darla?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25654248389583801452013-11-26T16:43:10.937-05:002013-11-26T16:43:10.937-05:00@lawprof - Thanks. I now understand the reason Bur...@lawprof - Thanks. I now understand the reason Burger King sued Burrito King back in 1978. FWIW Burrito King was a very small, dingy, and greasy place in Holland MI. I always wondered why Burger King bothered. Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16703714793960019312013-11-26T16:02:50.710-05:002013-11-26T16:02:50.710-05:00Happy Birthday Rex!Happy Birthday Rex!Jacquelinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55287037124776277492013-11-26T15:50:29.541-05:002013-11-26T15:50:29.541-05:00@Z 1:55 pm: Don't know diddle about trademark...@Z 1:55 pm: Don't know diddle about trademark law, but I checked with my daughter who is an Intellectual Property lawyer (primarily biotech patent prosecution). <br /><br />She tells me that trademark holders are required to aggressively enforce their marks in order to preserve legal protection. So if, for example, a company decides to manufacture and market "Smith's Kleenex," the holder of the Kleenex mark must take action to prevent the infringement. If the holder files a lawsuit against the alleged infringer to enjoin its use of the mark, the defendant may raise the affirmative defense that the mark has become generic by common usage in the commercial context. <br /><br />That's the reason that trademark holders commonly threaten to sue (or do sue) even small mom and pop enterprises that infringe their marks. I recall several years ago the high fashion jeans manufacturer Jordache sued two women who had started up a cottage industry making (shall we say) plus size jeans called Lardache. Jordache claimed trademark infringement. The general public might think, "Hey, can't they take a joke?" but Jordache risked abandoning its trademark if it didn't take action.<br /><br />That, in a nutshell, is how it works. Hope that helps.lawprofnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26808949322666210852013-11-26T15:04:19.651-05:002013-11-26T15:04:19.651-05:00Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 8/1/2...Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 8/1/2009 post for an explanation of my method and my 10/15/2012 post for an explanation of a tweak to my method):<br /><br />All solvers (median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Tue 9:07, 8:12, 1.11, 77%, Medium-Challenging<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Tue 5:56, 5:01, 1.18, 90%, Challengingsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54392656796437016942013-11-26T14:59:52.793-05:002013-11-26T14:59:52.793-05:00Posted before as JustJoe but thought I'd try m...Posted before as JustJoe but thought I'd try my google accoun this time - not sure what label I'll get.<br /><br />Didn't much care for this puzzle - I'm a magmic solver on iPhone so erasing and starting over is less painful. Had to do that in several places like Mexico for oaxaca. I too think tootoo is pretty lame for pretentious...and ecotone? Please spare us. Scoobydoo was my favorite. Theme wise, meh. On to Wednesday....<br /><br />@lms sour for me too. And yes there are too many excpetions and inconsistancies in our blesseed language that I too feel sorry for the esl crowd.Just Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11098467214914936897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15554353621876438512013-11-26T14:33:20.445-05:002013-11-26T14:33:20.445-05:00Is this Tuesday? Felt more like a Friday, perhaps...Is this Tuesday? Felt more like a Friday, perhaps because it' two days before a Sunday-like holiday. . Anyway, I ended up with an erasure-filled grid primarily because of DARLA, TOOTOO, ITSAGO, FLU, OAXACA and YEEOW. The clue for ONTO stumped me; I didn't know MOA; I finally get SANE; I still don't get CELS and I only knew OSIER because I used it in one of my rejected constructions.<br />I thought I'd have to receipt for a DNF but refused to give up and succeeded in avoiding one so early in the week.LaneBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74799383525834594932013-11-26T14:22:28.737-05:002013-11-26T14:22:28.737-05:00LIKED the TRADEMARKS IDEA.
Thought LAND-SAT, ECOT...LIKED the TRADEMARKS IDEA.<br /><br />Thought LAND-SAT, ECOTONE, OAXACA, and HUIT were TOO TOO for a TOOsday. INAPT?<br /><br />Happy Birthday, Rex!Sandy Knoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35010420802431197562013-11-26T14:08:04.142-05:002013-11-26T14:08:04.142-05:00Correction: God of Bad Short Fill. I will now do 5...Correction: God of Bad Short Fill. I will now do 50 Hail Naticks as atonement. "I heart OOXTEPLERNON" is still the bumper sticker I want on my Jaguar <a href="http://www.rowenashores.com/jaguar-xke.html" rel="nofollow">XKE.</a>Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86881975084781408142013-11-26T13:55:57.966-05:002013-11-26T13:55:57.966-05:00Hey @lawprof or other experts - regarding @AliasZ&...Hey @lawprof or other experts - regarding @AliasZ's post - I thought that once a trademark becomes generic the TM was essentially moot/unenforceable. So the whole "Is Pepsi ok?" thing is more a customer service thing than a legal requirement. Am I right or did I just make that up.<br /><br />@M&A - Well done. We haven't had an Ooxteplernon in ages and ages. I hear OOXTEPLERNON makes a great bumper sticker, though. The God of Three Letter Dreck has no peer except maybe the Flying Spaghetti Monster.Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72673630352298591992013-11-26T13:41:00.669-05:002013-11-26T13:41:00.669-05:00Have a wonderful birthday filled with the people a...Have a wonderful birthday filled with the people and the pleasures you enjoy most!KarenSampsonHudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12072958906391798661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70154248763105591682013-11-26T13:10:59.584-05:002013-11-26T13:10:59.584-05:00Alexander Matveevich Poniatoff (Russian: Александр...Alexander Matveevich Poniatoff (Russian: Александр Матвеевич Понятов, 1892-1980) was a Russian-American electrical engineer. In 1944 he founded, the <b>Ampex Corporation</b>, using his initials, A.M.P., plus "ex" for "excellence" to create the name. Poniatoff served as president of Ampex until 1955 when he was elected chairman of the board. In 1956, engineers of Ampex created the world's first rotary head videotape recorder. The word <b>videotape</b> was trademarked by Ampex the same year.<br /><br />I wonder if Warner Wolf thought of that every time he said "Let's go to the videotape."<br /><br />Here is a fairly <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_generic_and_genericized_trademarks" rel="nofollow">comprehensive list of past and present trademarks</a> that have become generic due to their expiration, or have become genericized even though they are still legally protected.<br /><br />The most surprising one for me was <b>realtor</b>. "Often used by the public, the media, and even real estate agents to refer generally to any real estate agent, but the term is a legally recognized trademark of the National Association of Realtors. The terms 'Realtor' and 'Realtors' refer to members of this association, and not to real estate agents generally. The National Association of Realtors is engaged in ongoing efforts to prevent the mark from becoming generic. These efforts include, among other things, writing to members of the media to complain of improper usage, distribution of information and guidelines on correct usage, and the development of an educational video on the subject." -Wikipedia.<br /><br />And here is the educational <a href="http://www.realtor.org/logos-and-trademark-rules/make-our-marks-remarkable" rel="nofollow">National Association of Realtors trademark protection video.</a><br /><br />Good luck with that one.AliasZhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03477396362209386037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32997501760052347562013-11-26T13:09:16.697-05:002013-11-26T13:09:16.697-05:00Regarding RUBLE as change: "Change" can ...Regarding RUBLE as change: "Change" can be a slang word for money itself, as in "$2000 for that? That's a lot of change!"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com