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Sunday, October 31, 2010

Halloween Musings

This morning's news shows seemed to have a little better grip on reality, but there were still the subtle biases that an alert viewer could catch. In one instance, Charlie Cook on NBC talking about several House races that would give an early indication Tuesday night, remarked that if all three went to the R's, it would be a "really bad night." Meaning a really good night for me. And several stations over the weekend, including the notorious CNN, while acknowledging good new polls for R's in Illinois and PA, said R's were acknowledging defeat in West Virginia (none that I know of) and probably would lose in Washington and California. Well maybe California, but D's are a toss-up at best in Washington.

I have been analyzing the polls very carefully, looking for trends in individual pollster's results, not just overall. This recognizes there are wide differences in polling techniques and accuracy. I may be a cockeyed optimist but I see Dems gaining important ground almost nowhere. In fact, I see undecideds breaking against incumbents as they usually do, helping R's in close Senate races in Washington, Nevada, Wisconsin and Colorado.

Of course, the only poll that matters is Tuesday's. R voters will be out in force. What will D turnout be? Will minorities come out? Youth (probably not, unless in California)? Independents are coming out to throw out incumbents and vote for R's, for the most part.

I was happy that Mark Kleiman visited our site and left a comment on our last post, even though it did not address the issues, only the author. Sadly, this is all too typical of the arguments D's make, as anyone who has watched the debates knows. Nevertheless, I have to say I agree with Mark that my characterization of him as a "political scientist" did not really do him justice. Today, in the academic community, a political scientist is one who typically studies and writes on very narrow, statistically focused questions. Frankly, the obsession with data has driven a lot of would be theorists to other disciplines.

Mr. Kleiman is really a public policy expert, with writings and expertise in a number of policy areas but especially drug policy and decriminalization questions. He is currently very active on the California Proposition 19 decriminalization proposal. Perhaps his argument with being positioned on the left side of the political spectrum (as I did) is based on the fact that on this and several other issues on which he is an expert, he is in the middle of the road, at least within the academic community. I do tend to agree with him on drug policy. However, political positioning is a matter of perspective. In the academic community, you have to practically be a communist to be left of center (not exaggerating much, either). And on most issues, Mark is, in my opinion, a committed liberal at least. But you can decide for yourself by visiting his entertaining blog, The Reality Based Community.

The Jets looked out of synch today, especially on offense, and this continues a pattern I find surprising, namely that teams don't do well after the bye week. You would think rest and healing and an extra week to prepare for an opponent would set teams up for a prime performance, but apparently the disruption of the usual practice routine means more.

Twice during the game, Jets receivers lost the ball on seemingly completed passes after going to the ground. Whether or not these interception calls were technically correct, I think you will now see hard battles for the ball after receptions until the league decides that the play is over once the receiver goes down.

The other thing all should note is the well known matter of teams performance changes being so drastic from year-to-year. In a sport where the average pro career is barely more than 3 years, we shouldn't be that surprised, but nonetheless, I wonder if fans have really yet caught on to the improvement in the Rams, the Chiefs, the Raiders, and the Lions, among others. Of course, the Cowboys have been unmasked as a fraud, but does everyone yet appreciate the decline of the Broncos, the Cardinals, and the Vikings?

The Pat Martino organ quartet has come so far in two years, and I heard them Wednesday and Friday night at Birdland where they played to packed houses. Perhaps more amazing is that Birdland had a packed house Friday for the early show by the Birdland Big Band, which they do almost every week, emptied it after that show and refilled it for Pat! In New York, at least, jazz continues to be very healthy and provides an economical and entertaining alternative to the Broadway theatre for tourists and residents alike.

As for the quartet, Pat's guitar playing is as good as ever, but he allows much more space than previously for Eric Alexander on tenor and Tony Monaco on organ, both of whom thrive in this setting. Of course, with the gig ending last night, Eric will return to his usual gigs all over the City, particularly at Smoke. He is definitely worth listening to in all of his various combos.

On the 29th, we bought 100 shares of Hartford Preferred (HIG.PR.A) at 24.62 for the IRA. I promised a recap of my results with Books A Million (BAMM). I bought my first shares in 1998 and over the years made 18 purchases of shares, spending over $42,000. The proceeds received for those shares exceeded $104,000. We also received about $6,800 in dividends. Don't ever let anyone tell you that dividends are not meaningful. So in all, counting taxable and non-taxable accounts, we cleared almost $70,000 on this stock. You can't fall in love with any stock though, even your winners. I really have become concerned that the retail book store business model could be blown up, so until I think otherwise, BAMM is off the buy / hold list. I don't think BAMM's various specialties, such as religious publications, can protect it from this trend.

Time for the periodic disclaimer: neither Redwavemusings nor its author are investment advisors, and the securities mentioned on this site should not be considered recommendations. The investment actions described here may not be suitable for readers or anyone else.

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Alonzo King Puts a Cultural Spin on the Science of Ballet

Alonzo King Puts a Cultural Spin on the Science of Ballet

Have you ever had the experience of watching a movie or television drama and saying to yourself “I’m not really following the plot but like what I’m seeing?”

That was me exactly on the first Tuesday night of March at Kelowna Community Theatre. In town for a one-night floor routine was the Alonzo King LINES Ballet from San Francisco. Based on this touring group’s reputation and global rave reviews, wife Elaine and I viewed this opportunity as a chance to flex our deltoid muscles and expand our cultural biceps.

Who wouldn’t be intrigued after reading this marketing nugget:

Alonzo King LINES Ballet, now in its 33rd year, nurtures dynamic artistry and the development of authentic, creative expression through dance. The group is dedicated to exploring the possibilities of movement from a global perspective, and to renewing, and transcending, traditional ballet. Alonzo King is a celebrated choreographer who actively develops original new works with other artists from diverse disciplines and cultures. He understands ballet as a science – founded on universal, geometric principles of energy and evolution – and continues to develop a new language of movement from its classical forms and techniques.”

While it snowed outside, the ballet bonanza inside was divided into two programs. First came SHOSTAKOVICH, music by Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich. After intermission came SAND, with jazzy beats from saxophonist Charles Lloyd and pianist Jason Moran. Don’t ask me to interpret what took place on stage during each program. I’m not qualified.

The company was comprised of 10 dancers – five women and five men. One of the men was Robb Beresford, the only Canadian and an alumnus of Ballet Kelowna. The women mostly wore leotards with open backs. The shirtless men wore tiny shorts, stretchy long pants, and the occasional wrap-around skirt. Never once did we see a tutu – this was contemporary interpretive ballet.

What was my number-one takeaway from 90 minutes of explosive athleticism and steely expressionism?

These elite performers were RIPPED! We’re talking six-pack abs, flat bellies, tiny waists, muscular backs and well-defined arms and legs. At every twist, turn, jump, and spin there was an awe-inspiring chiseled muscle group or sculpted torso on display. Were these long-limbed laborers photoshopped?! Someone needs to patent the ballet diet. It works. And you’ll look fantastic in tights.

What are the must-have attributes to becoming a bona fide ballet bestie? Here’s what I scribbled in my notes near the finale:  acting skills, good posture, flexibility, fluidity, charisma, elegance, poise, strength, balance, power, healthy knees and ankles and toes, a strong back, and an on-demand masseuse. That’s all. Sign me up, Alonzo.

Big Finish – On May 4th + 5th, Ballet Kelowna and the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra will be performing together at Kelowna Community Theatre for a special show entitled “Canadiana Suite –  A Sesquicentennial Celebration.

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Thursday, September 30, 2010

Student worker in the spotlight: Q&A with Sam Morton

Sam Morton is an 18-year-old freshman graphic design major from Ranger, GA. She comes to Reinhardt from Sonoraville High School, where she was captain of the Academic Bowl team and editor-in-chief of the yearbook, as well as participating in Key Club, Beta Club and the Photography Club. We lucked out at the library when we hired Sam as a student worker. She's stepped right into some of our special projects and quickly made herself indispensable around here! I know I wouldn't want to do without her.

Readers of this blog know Sam from her guest post about the Humans vs. Zombies game. You may have seen her in the library, too, wheeling around book carts piled high with materials she's been helping us process. I recently asked Sam to take a break from all of her hard work and answer a few questions for me. So, without further ado, let's get to know Sam Morton!

Why did you choose to attend Reinhardt University?

The campus is absolutely beautiful and everyone I've met here has been so nice. It's been so easy to make friends, and I get the feeling I'll have these friends for a very long time. And the art program here is astounding.

What prompted you to apply for a student worker position at the library?

I wanted to work in the library because libraries are some of my favorite places. I love being surrounded by all the books. It's like stepping into a different world.

Tell me about some of the activities in which you've been involved since coming to RU.

I work in the library (obviously), I'm a member of the Anime Club, just participated in Humans Vs. Zombies, and I'm also trying to start a yearbook for next year.

What's the best thing about Reinhardt so far?

The people. Everyone here is amazing and the teachers really know what they're doing. Coming to Reinhardt was probably the best decision I ever made.

What's the best thing about the library?

You, of course! :D And Michael. And Joel. And Keershton. And Stephanie. I love you guys!

Aww...(blush).. we're kind of fond of you, too. What are your favorite books?

The Harry Potter books have been a huge part of my life and they are definitely my favorite. I love all of them. They're absolutely fantastic. But the Ender series by Orson Scott Card is also fantastic... but so is all of Ray Bradbury's work. And Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, that's a great book. Oh! And Kurt Vonnegut! I love him. I also really love Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.

How about a favorite movie?

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
It's Jim Carrey's best work. (He's also my favorite actor, if you were wondering.)

What do you want to be "when you grow up?"

If I could have my way, I'd read books for the rest of my life. But unless I want to edit them as well, that's not really a possibility. Editing books would drive me insane. I can't stand grammatical or spelling errors. I'd like to be a photographer, but yet again, that's something that might be a little out of my reach. So majoring in Graphic Design and getting a job in advertising is where I am right now. I want to be the person behind the logos that we see every day. That unknown person with the small, yet surprisingly significant, work that is taken for granted.

Anything else?

I like answering interview questions, obviously. :)

Thanks, Sam! It's a pleasure to have you on board!

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WINTER white : PARTY...

So, we have previously discussed the topic of white, and when it is appropriate to sport said color. We have also come to the conclusion that these old school rules restricting the wear of white have been thrown out the window, so it is acceptable at any time.... but is it really? I have been yearning for  the color white...jeans, blouses, dresses skirts... Maybe I am missing the summer and its sunshine and warmth, or I am feeling rebellious. But I think white is nice all year round, so this week I am going to share some of my favorite winter white ensembles, starting with the party edition...
 A frilly white dress, with a wintery pattern of leaves and birds, opaque tights and fun blue shoes!

Would you wear a white party frock in winter?

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Given the bewildering array of telescopes on the market, how does an enthusiastic but inexperienced consumer choose the right one ? To answer this question, I will explain the differences between specific telescope types, but for that discussion to be meaningful, it is important first to understand some very basic points about astronomical telescopes in general.

Aperture is the Most Important Factor

The single most important specification for any astronomical telescope is is aperture. This term refers to the diameter of the telescope's main optical element, be it a lens or mirror. A telescope's aperture relates directly to the two vital aspects of the scope's performance: its light-gathering power (which determines how bright objects viewed in the scope will appear), and its maximum resolving power (how much fine detail it can reveal). There are other criteria to be considered in selecting a telescope, but if you learn only one thing from this article, let it be this....the larger a telescope's aperture (the fatter it is), the more you will see.

Don't Get Hung-Up on Power

Unfortunately, the first question most beginners ask is not "What is this telescope's aperture"?? but "What is its magnifying power"?? The truth is, any telescope can be made to provide almost any magnification, depending on what eyepiece is used. The factor that limits the highest power that can be used effectively, on a given scope is, you may have guessed...its aperture. As magnification is increased, and the image in the scope grows larger, the light gathered by the telescope is spread over a larger area, so the image is dimmed. There is also an absolute limit, determined by the physical properties of light, to the resolutoin that is possible with any given aperture. As the magnification is pushed beyond that limit, the image fails to reveal any additional detail and gradually breaks down into a dim, fuzzy blob.
The maxium useful magnification for any telescope is about 50 times the aperture in inches, or two times the aperture in millimeters. This equates to about 100X to 120X with the smallest telescopes, which is enough to see such wonders as the rings of Saturn and cloud bands on Jupiter. The 2X per millimeter figure is a rule of thumb, and can vary up or down somewhat depending on the optical quality of the scope in question and the vision of the individual observer. Experienced observers usually use much less power (i.e.) 0.5X to 1X per millimeter is more appropriate for most objects. Any manufacturer claiming that their 60mm scope can provide good views at 450X (7.5 times the aperture in millimeters) is trying either to pull your leg or pick your pocket !!!!

Bigger is Better, But.......

While aperture is the most important specification of any telescope, there are exceptions to the rule, that, "bigger is better". One rule is obvious....the need for portability. The largest amateur telescopes are very big, and demand either housing in a permanent observatory or possession of a strong back, a truck, and bunch of muscular and motivated observing buddies !!! There is a line to be drawn between performance and portability, and where it will be drawn varies with the individual and his/her capacity for storage and portage. Beginners are encouraged to start out with a scope of sufficient aperture to feed their interest, but of a size that they can manage easily. Avoid the overpowering appeal to "aperature fever". Those of you who decide to choose the largest telescope they can afford without regard to portability of their "monster" scopes...soon gather dust in the garage, due to being too heavy and bulky to use.

The Sky is the Limit

The second limitation on very large scopes is less obvious, but comes apparent after the first couple of viewing sessions. The Earth's atmosphere limits how much we can see. Stars and planets viewed through a telescope appear to shimmer or wiggle, as their light passes through the air and is distorted. This effect is known to astronomers as "seeing", and becomes more noticeable and bothersome as telescope aperture increases. It especially affects observations of the Moon and planets, where high power applied to reveal fine details, also magnifies the air turbulence.
The amount of distortion due to seeing varies, depending upon the behavior of air currents in the upper atmosphere, and to a lesser extent upon the altitude and area of the observing site. But on an average site, air turbulence will limit useful magnification to 250x or 300x, and prevent telescopes larger than about 8" or 10" aperture from achieving their full potential for high-power viewing. Telescopes larger than 10" are most often chosen by observers who want to gather as much light as possible for viewing dim galaxies, nebulas, and star clusters. These "deep sky" objects are most often viewed at much lower power than the planets, so seeing is less of a problem.

Different Scopes for Different Folks

Now that we understand the basic points of telescope performance, we can discuss the three basic optical designs of telescopes: the refractor, the reflector, and the compound (or catadioptric) telescope.

A refractor is what most non-astronomers think of when they hear the word "telescope". Its tube is most often long and skinny, mounted on a tripod, with a lens at one end and the eyepiece at the other. Refractors were the first type of telescope invented, and the finest refractors still provide the best images of any design for a given aperture. They are often chosen by observers with a dominant interest in the planets and Moon, because they can provide sharp, high contrast views at high magnification and are less bothered by atmospheric "seeing" than the other designs. They also require less maintenance than reflectors or compound scopes, and are therefore popular with beginners. The refractor's good performance at high power and relative insensitivity to light pollution makes it a good choice for a city based observer, as the design performs best on the objects that are most easily seen from urban or suburban locations.

These advantages do not come without a price....literally: refractors are the most expensive telescopes per inch of aperture. Big refractors can cost several thousand dollars, and still are considered too small in aperature for serious deep-sky observing. The long focal length of most refractors restricts the field of view, making it difficult to take in large extended objects like some clusters of stars. And the long tube, with the eyepiece located at the back end, requires a tall tripod, which , if poorly made, can allow the scope to shake and shimmy in the breeze, rendering high power observing difficult.

The reflector uses a mirror, rather than a lens, to gather and focus light. By far the most common design is the Newtonian reflector, which places a concave (dish-shaped) primary mirror at the bottom end of the telescope tube. A small secondary mirror at the other end, directs the focused light out the side of the tube and into the eyepiece. Newtonians offer the largest aperture available at a given price, and when well made, they can provide sharp, contrasty views that rival all but the finest refractors. A Newtonian's low center of gravity and eyepiece location at the top of the tube, allow for comfortable viewing with a more compact mounting, which can be made stable with much less bulk and cost than the tall mounting required by a refractor of similar aperture.

Big reflectors of 10" aperture and larger on Dobsonian mountings are the most popular telescopes for astronomers who seek to gather "buckets of light" for deep sky observing. These giant scopes perform best at remote dark sky site, away from the glare of city lights. The value and versatility of the smaller 4.5" to 8" Newtonians, mounted either equatorially or as Dobsonians, makes them a fine choice for the beginner with general interests.

Newtonian reflectors require occasional maintenance. Unlike the lenses in a refractor, the mirrors in a reflector need periodic alignment, or collimation, for best performance. While many beginners seem intimadated by collimation, it's really not difficult, and takes only a few minutes once you get the hang of it. A reflector's tube is also more open to air and humidity than that of a refractor, and if left uncovered, the mirrors can accumulate dust and grime, which necessitates occasional cleaning. While these maintenance concerns are often overstated, a Newtonian may not be the right choice for someone who finds the prospect of occasional tinkering with the scope unappealing.

The most modern of the three common designs for amateur telescopes is the compound, or catadioptric type, which uses a combination of lenses and mirrors to gather and focus light. The greatest advantage of this design is its compactness: the lenses and mirrors "fold up" the light path inside the telescope, reducing large-aperture scopes to a manageable size. If an equatorial mounting is desired, the smaller tube can be carried on lighter and more economical mounts than that required by a Newtonian of the same size. Compound telescopes are most popular with observers who desire both generous aperture and an equatorial mounting in a transportable package.

The names Schmidt-Cassegrain and Maksutov-Cassegrain refer to specific designs of compound telescopes, which use differently shaped lenses and mirrors to achieve a similar result. The Maksutov is often cited as offering better image quality, though there is little in the way of optical theory to support this opinion. Most probably the Maksutov has developed its reputation as the superior catadioptric design because its spherical optical surfaces are easier to make to very high precision than the more complex shapes demanded by the Schmidt. As a result, if a telescope maker practices anything less than the strictest quality control, their "average" Maksutov will outperform their "average" Schmidt. In top quality telescopes from careful manufactures, both designs can yeild excellent images.

There are a few drawbacks to all compound designs. As in any telescope that employs mirrors, occasional alignment is required for peak performance. The cost of a compound is higher than that of a Newtonian of the same aperture, though still lower than the cost of a comparably sized refractor. Most significantly for the planetary observer, the secondary mirror in a compound is much larger than that in a Newtonian, and its presence in the light path of the scope reduces contrast somewhat for high powered viewing. In general, astronomers who desire a highly capable, easily transportable telescope, find these worthwhile compromises, and have made the compound scopes very popular.

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About Us

Reno Tahoe Event Florist Sheila Risi

My name is Sheila Risi, owner of Reno Tahoe Event Florist. I developed a passion for flowers over 20 years ago, in 1990 when I started arranging flowers at a small shop in South Lake Tahoe and I have been designing ever since. I opened my own retail shop, North Tahoe Florist in Kings Beach.Ca in 1998. After many successful years as a retail florist in the Lake Tahoe area, I decided to take a break and start a family. In 2005 the Risi family moved to Reno, expanding the business and changing the business name to Reno Tahoe Event Florist.

When I meet with my clients they have a dream of what their wedding day will look like. During the process that my clients and I go through, from our first consultation to looking at arrangements and brainstorming ideas, we form a unique bond. I receive great satisfaction when I am able to take part in making their dreams a reality. I am constantly exploring new ideas and creating modern, unique designs that represent the taste, personality and vision of each client.

The heartfelt responses I receive from my clients after an event is one of the greatest joys I experience in my job as a Floral Designer. I am dedicated to creating an atmosphere that is personalized to your event and budget on your special day!


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(The) Penny University (Show)

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Penny University features interviews with the people who look for answers to the questions that we ask every day (and sometimes to questions we’ve never thought to ask).

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Yeah yeah…we get that there’s this whole supposed magic involved when you look out your window on Christmas morning and see beautiful flakes of snow falling softly to the ground. But then that snow turns to slush and ice, and then you’re slipping and falling everywhere and people suck at driving and it’s dark and stormy and just plain gross!

Okay, maybe we went a little overboard – but if you’re anything like us…the idea of waking up to beautiful sunny weather a in one of Pinnacle’s Romantic Zone luxury suites a few blocks from the beach seems like the perfect Christmas morning to us.

Here are 5 more reasons besides having no snow that makes us think Christmas while enjoying luxury accommodation in Puerto Vallarta beats a white Christmas any day:

1. The food. Christmas time in Mexico is an exciting time for food enthusiasts – there are dishes that are only prepared once a year specifically to celebrate Christmas.

2. Cultural traditions. There are all kinds of traditions around the holidays that are very interesting to learn about and participate in. For example, Las Posadas and the baking of a special kind of bread called Rosca de Reyes.

3. The holidays and celebrations last an entire month. Holiday celebrations in Mexico begin on December 9th and extend until January 6th.

4. Less material obsession. Christmas in Mexico tends to be less focused on the giving of material items and focuses more on the gathering of family and friends over shared meals and drinks. Isn’t this what Christmas is supposed to be about anyway?

5. Rompope and Tequila will always be better than Eggnog. Enough said.

Christmas in Puerto Vallarta is a different kind of celebration. You’ll always get a chance to experience a white Christmas somewhere else…but this year we invite you to share Christmas with us in Mexico and learn more about these special holidays in our country.

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Welp, it looks like Snap’s Spectacles are going the way of Google Glass. At least Google knew when to quit.

News reports surfaced today that Snap has literally “hundreds of thousands” of Spectacles sitting in inventory, ready for the holiday season. The problem: the demand for them seems to be nonexistent.

After a hot start which saw customers “flooding” stores or paying exorbitant prices on eBay, and at least one article lauding the marketer behind the product as a “genius,” exclaiming that “we all want a pair,” sales of the glasses have been steadily declining. The one person who seemingly failed to notice all this: Snap CEO Evan Spiegel.

I began to wonder what could be behind this gradual, yet surprising drop-off in sales, especially as it occurred in a product so highly regarded during its initial rollout. It’s not like serious  malfunctions have since been uncovered in the device, nor does it explode in your face like some other tech.

For a second I thought perhaps it was because the glasses look so dumb. A quick tour through the eyewear currently on display on people’s faces in New York City, however, quickly dispelled me of that notion; as far as eyewear is concerned, Spectacles–even with their bright yellow circles in the corner–are rather conservative.

A visit to the online store for Snap’s Spectacles revealed to me–along with the shocking fact that Snap produced mobile vending machines specifically for selling Spectacles–that Snap’s marketing angle for the product was as follows (emphasis mine):

“Spectacles capture the moment — without taking you out of it! Just press the button to start recording your world, the way you see it, in our unique circular format. With on-the-go charging and wireless syncing to Snapchat, you’ll never miss a moment.”

This got me thinking: perhaps consumer’s rebuke of Spectacles is a sign that what Snap thought was their product’s greatest strength was actually a weakness; people don’t want to remain in the moment, they want an excuse to get out of it.

Aw memes, ur the best.

Consider two prominent examples of cellphone recordings which have caught the ire of others: recording at concerts and shooting at museums. In each case, it is likely that the pulling-out-and-shooting-with-their-phone action is simply a reaction to having no idea what to do otherwise. Both of these arenas involve activities–dancing, contemplation of art–which many of us, due to heightened self-awareness or the influx of irony in our culture, no longer know how to perform, especially not in public.

The pulling out of the phone, then, while it serves the utilitarian purpose of recording our experience for ourselves or others to see later, also allows us to, yes, escape the moment. It gives us something to do other than being fully present, and we like that because, well, being present in the 21st century is pretty darn hard.


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Beading & Jewelry Books
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Enameling Made Easy
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The power of color comes alive with Enameling Made Easy, a new book-with-DVD featuring a wide range of introductory techniques for firing colorful enamel onto metal. Anat Silvera teaches jewelry makers multiple ways to create depth and texture with this rich medium as well as how to hone their metalworking skills — all using only an affordable handheld butane torch.

From traditional cloisonne to stylish sgraffito, Enameling Made Easy teaches how to add glorious color to metal.

Jewelry makers will find it easy to learn with this combination book and DVD workshop. The basics of setup, terms, tools, and techniques prepare jewelry makers for 27 varied projects that build confidence through hands-on learning. The bonus of watching 12 techniques in action on the DVD assures success.
144 pages • 400 color photos
Price: $24.99
Product Number: 67705
ISBN: 9780871167705
Carton Quantity: 40
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Vitreous enameling is a decorative art form which dates back thousands of years. The durable material is made by fusing powdered glass on metal with high temperatures. Gorgeous jewelry can be made with this technique. Some historical examples include cloisonné (both Chinese and European) where the glass is melted with wire cells and the work of Art Nouveau masters like Rene Lalique.

Those wishing to learn how to enamel metal need not invest in a kiln for firing. Anat Silvera's book, Enameling Made Easy, which I received for review, shows how beautiful enameled pieces can be created with just a hand held butane torch. The simple way of using a torch to heat the pieces hot enough so the glass melts is perfect for small pieces.

The book is a definitive guide for enameling beginners covering the basics like how to fill the torch, type of enamels as well as specific techniques used in the 27 projects. The spiral bound book makes it easier for beginners to have this reference book on hand. Some metal smith techniques like punching holes, soldering, drilling, dapping, filing and riveting are also covered in the basics section.

Anat is an experienced teacher so she included FAQ (frequently asked questions) and troubleshooting sections. Toolkit lists were also very helpful as are the tips and safety considerations.

The book starts with some easy projects where the student learns how to create enamel by first sifting the enamel powder over metal pieces. Each piece is placed on a metal trivet set on a firing brick and fired from below. It just takes a couple of minutes to fire each time. The discs are first enameled at the back (this is called counterenameling which helps stabilize an enamel piece) and then at least 2 more coats on the front.

The remaining projects show many fun creative ideas. Using stencils when sifting the enamel powder is one easy way to add design patterns.

Sgraffito,which involves "scratching" designs into the top layer of sifted enamel before firing, is another way.

Objects such as glass beads and wire can also be added to the pieces. Firing will melt the enamel around them so they too are permanently fused onto the pieces.

Even rubber stamps can be used as a means of adhering the enamel powder to the inked areas only before firing.

The author demonstrates some wonderful cloisonné projects using wet packed enamel in between the bits of wire as shown in this Cityscape pendant design - one of my favorites!

Another project shows off the Plique-à-jour (French for "letting in daylight") enameling technique where the enamel is suspended in small holes in the metal piece. The light can thus shine through the enamel like stained glass.

Although the book was thorough, the accompanying 25 minute DVD demonstrating some of the key techniques was very helpful. Nothing beats seeing how it is done. The combination book and video makes it a worthy buy for those who want to venture down the enameling path with some metal working on the side.

-Pearl Blay, Beading Gem's Journal

I can't say enough about Anat Silvera's book, Enameling Made Easy. I've been dabbling in enamels for the past few months and just recently got more into it. Her book, which includes a bonus DVD (YES!), is my new bible! It says it's for beginners & beyond and it sure is! It's so comprehensive that I can't think of a single thing that that might have been missed. A must have for anyone interested in torch fired enameling.

-Lea Avroch, lajewelrydesigns

Enameling Made Easy: Torch-Firing Workshop for Beginners & Beyond includes a bonus 25-minute DVD offering close-up visuals on firing stages and production to accompany a clear, step-by-step book on using an inexpensive handheld torch in creating metal jewelry. All the basics are presented in a jewelry guide that assumes little prior experience with either torch work or jewelry making, and which covers traditional enameling techniques from stenciling to cloisonne. A simple butane torch and some basic jewelry-making supplies is all that's needed to get started: these, and a book packed with color photos and step-by-step directions throughout!

-The Midwest Book Review
Rewards Item


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1-1 Chrome Book Take-Home Initiative

Welcome to Reutter School's 1:1 initiative

Please use the site to find answers to common questions, receive periodic updates on the initiative and other information. Thank you for partnering with us on this exciting endeavor!

“In the 21st century, students must be fully engaged. This requires the use of technology tools and resources, involvement with interesting and relevant projects, and learning environments—including online environments—that are supportive and safe.... In the 21st century, educators must be given and be prepared to use technology tools; they must be collaborators in learning—constantly seeking knowledge and acquiring new skills along with their students.”


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Thursday, October 15, 2009

Birdwatchers - Movie Review

(click any image to enlarge)

By Jonathan W. Wind

Birdwatchers chronicles the land battles of indigenous Brazilians forced to find work on their own lands as seasonal laborers. In the southern Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sol, a small band of Guarani Indians, unable and unwilling to subsist on the reserve mapped out for them by wealthy white settlers, camp out in shaky trash bag tents on the roadside fringe of a plantation intent on reclaiming what was once their holy ground.

Led by Osvaldo, the tribe's young hero, and the venerable tribe Shaman, their presence on the land creates distrust with the owners mixed with a quiet curiosity, what does the other really want? The tribe itself just stares at the fields, waiting for a miracle. Even this is better than the reserve where poverty and suicide have reduced their numbers and damaged their spirit. But they are hounded even by their own most exalted spirit, Anques, and, as ends most stories of indigenous peoples, they lose their land, their dignity and their lives.

I recalled reading "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee," and how every chapter about trusting Native Americans ended in slaughter, so I knew full on that hope was a false god for the shaman and his tribe. Their ancestors, now buried in a treeless beet field, lay just yards from their roadside encampment

Performed by a mostly amateur cast in Guarani and Portuguese, the story begins with wide eyed tourists canoing through supposedly "hostile" territory - Indians, frightfully painted and armed with bows and arrows, stare down the encroaching pilgrims, even arc a few arrows in the boat's general direction - and the rattled travelers hightail it back to civilization with a great story. But, once the tourists have gone, the tribe ambles up an embankment, they change into their civvies, get paid by the tour operator, and truck on home to the nearby reserve in a Ford pickup.

Inevitably, after a protracted struggle with the landowners, the suicides continue and the tribe leaders are killed. In the end a success is claimed because Osvaldo cuts himself down before hanging himself, in a first step towards saving himself and his tribe.

Released at the 2008 Venice Film Festival, Birdwatchers was written and directed by Marco Bechis, who adds "five hundred years after the conquest, the conflict is the same as then." Punctuated incongruously by classical compositions by Domenico Zipoli, a Jesuit composer who failed to convert the Guarani in the early 18th century, the score lends electrifying depth by juxtaposing classic detail with a tribe robbed and deprived of their culture. The movie is a tender portrait of decline, brought home by an accidental bond between the landowners daughter and the young Osvaldo.

It would be easy to feel weary of the outcome of such movies, do the indigenous people ever get what they want, would it make a a good story if they did? The peculiar dichotomy of using indigenous people to play themselves in an imaginary plot itself smacks of exploitation, a kind of full length National Geographic special. But throughout it is plain that the writers had the best intentions, even providing a website to contribute money to the Guarani Indians plight. When Europeans first arrived in South America, the Guarani were among the first peoples they met. At that time, the Guarani numbered more than 1.5 million, today they number around 30,000.

I say wait for the DVD but see it, it will wake you up. Because however daft the plot the meaning comes through. The rights and lives of indigenous peoples are sidelined for profit and until people realize the extent and meaning of their loss, the situation will only continue.

© 2009 - Jonathan W. Wind - Air Date: 10/14/09
Movie Magazine International

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Friday, May 16, 2014

Petals on the Wind by V.C. Andrews ~ Lifetime movie ~ Giveaway Info

FICTION INTO FILM: Pick up Petals on the Wind May 20th and watch the movie May 26th!

WATCH: The movie trailer, and tune in to Lifetime on  Monday, May 26th, 9:00 pm ET to watch the World Premier of Petals on the Wind!

ENTER TO WIN: Go to the Pocket Books Facebook page beginning May 20th to enter the sweepstakes for a prize pack of Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind, and the Flowers in the Attic DVD.  Visit right before tuning into Petals on the Wind late May for the sweepstakes giveaway (date to be announced)!

Petals on the Wind cast:
Heather Graham              as Corrine
Ellen Burstyn                      as Olivia
Dylan Bruce                        as Bart
Rose McIver                       as Young Cathy (played by Kiernan Shipka in Flowers in the Attic)
Wyatt Nash                        as Christopher (played by Mason Dye in Flowers in the Attic)

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  1. I am excited to see this movie. Can't wait---Rae (chat)


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Thursday, October 6, 2011

New Release Movies: Source Code (2011)

Cheesy Poster
Source Code is the latest film from director Duncan Jones, better known to some as Zowie Bowie. It follows up from his great first effort Moon, which was a low-budget but brutal story about Sam Rockwell on...well on the moon. He has made use of an increased budget to cast a couple of good names, Jake Gyllenhaal being the biggest. He is supported by Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga in the title roles. The film, like Moon, is another semi science-fiction job, having many futuristic ideas but staying well in the modern world or near future.

J: I don't mind seeing Michelle Monaghan in movies and Jake is quickly catching Clive Owen for my man crush.  Decent enough cast and well directed.

The story of Source Code revolves around Jake Gyllenhaal's character Colter Stevens, who suddenly wakes up on a train heading to Chicago, halfway in the middle of a conversation with Christina (Michelle Monaghan). As he catches a glimpse of his reflection in the window, he rushes to the bathroom, and upon seeing himself in the mirror realises that he is in another body, that of school teacher Sean. Soon after the train explodes, and he wakes up gasping in his original body.

"Oh crap..."
Colter, not knowing where he is or what is happening, is strapped into a seat in a small dark chamber, with a screen showing Captain Goodwin (Vera Farmiga) at an unknown location. It's from here that we learn Colter is a helicopter pilot in the US Army serving in Afghanistan, and his last memory is being on a mission there. Goodwin informs him that he is in the "source code," a program which allows him to relieve the last 8 minutes of someones life. In this case it's the teacher Sean, who was on a train bombed by a terrorist merely hours ago. Using the source code, it's up to Colter to find the bomb, discover who was behind it, and prevent a larger attack on the city itself, all while discovering information about his location by delving into the machinations of Goodwin and the people at Beleaguered Castle. Whew.

Strapped in.
The film moves along at a very quick pace, and as we are following Colter, who hasn't got much of an idea about what is happening, there is very little back-story. I found this actually helped the film, as using the 8-minute idea, the story flows very quickly and unfolds slightly more each time he jumps into the source code. Using 8-minutes as a plot device was a very original and intriguing idea. The film is engaging to watch, and held my attention throughout the admittedly short 80 minute run time.

You might think that repeating 8 minutes over and over could be an excuse to reuse shots and dialogue, but thankfully Jones has managed to change camera angles and use other tricks like slow motion to keep the same parts of the film different. This is well supported by the actors. Although Jake Gyllenhaal essentially does something different each time, credit goes to Michelle Monaghan and the others on the train for acting the same each jump but subtly different depending on Colter's actions. Gyllenhaal himself delivers a solid performance as a freaked-out but likable military type, out to do the right thing.

Locating the bomb.
While Source Code was filmed on a budget of $32 million, miserly by Hollywood standard, it seems to be a lot higher. Obviously the use of minimal sets helped, as it meant more money could be put into the explosions, which occur pretty frequently as you might guess. It all looks slick and has the feel of a higher budget action blockbuster. The score is also pretty epic, and also has that blockbuster feel to it.

The movie is not without its flaws however. The run time of 80 minutes is short and really is over before you know it. A couple of times in the middle it skips showing us the source code while Colter's in there, and this could have been elaborated upon. Paradoxically, the film is short but the ending feels too long, and without spoiling it, it's pretty disappointing. For better or worse though, it does leave you scratching your head. As good as most of the acting is, Jeffrey Wright gets in there and hams it up as the mad scientist type, creating a pretty cringe-worthy character.

I really didn't like the ending.  I was with the flick the whole way through but then when the ending hit I was extremely disappointed.  But not really enough to stop me from watching it again.

All in all, the original story, slick fast-paced directing, and solid acting all come together to form a great sci-fi action flick. The flaws are pretty easily forgotten when you realise you have been taken on an entertaining romp, and as such I give Source Code 7.5 "Jake Gyllenhaal's stubble" out of 10.

Well summed up Tommy D.  I really enjoyed it too.  Jake is solid in this and as mentioned above, the repeating scene doesn't seem to repeat at all.  A very clever idea and extremely well implemented.  7 out of 10 for me.

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Recurring Stephen King antagonist Randall / SUN 3-31-13 / Device Professor X wears over his head in X-men / 1983 film debut of Bill Maher / One-named R&B singer / Noted American writer in Yiddish / Ones who wrote in Ogham alphabet / Mythological figure kithara / Computer used to predict 1952 election / Aconcagua setting

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Constructor: Caleb Madison

Relative difficulty: Easy

THEME: "Special Features" — An Easter puzzle with the revealer EASTER EGGS (115A: Hidden DVD feature ... which can be found, literally, in the answers to the starred clues) — each letter of "EASTER EGGS" (in order) has been added to the first word of movie titles, creating wacky movie titles, clued "?"-style.

Theme answers:
  • 23A: *Movie about ... an intense blinking context? ("STARE WARS")
  • 28A: *... a housecleaner? ("NEAT WORK")
  • 30A: *... a sled racer? ("SNOW VOYAGER")
  • 44A: *... a bee during a downpour? ("STINGIN' IN THE RAIN")
  • 56A: *... actor Jason's fan club? ("BATEMAN FOREVER")
  • 80A: *... Jerry Garcia's band's portraits? ("DRAWN OF THE DEAD") — trying to figure out how grammar on this works ...
  • 88A: *... a parent's edicts? ("TEEN COMMANDMENTS")
  • 100A: *... a king's brilliance? ("REGAL GENIUS")
  • 108A: *... a harvester? ("GRAIN MAN")

Word of the Day: CEREBRO (72A: Device Professor X wears over his head in "X-Men") —
In the Marvel UniverseCerebro (Portuguese and Spanish for "brain") is a device that the X-Men (in particular, their leader, Professor Charles Xavier) use to detect humans, specifically mutants. It was created by Xavier and Magneto, and was later enhanced by Dr. Hank McCoy. The current version of Cerebro is called Cerebra, to be distinguished from the character of the same name. Cerebro first appeared in X-Men (vol 1) #7 (1964). (wikipedia)
• • •

Well this was a lot of fun. There were some weird moments—I don't know how "DRAWN" (or maybe "OF") is being used in "DRAWN OF THE DEAD"; I loved / was mystified by CEREBRO, which seems nerdily arcane; and though the puzzle overall felt *very* easy, the tiny patch in the NNW was absurdly hard. I spent about a quarter of my time on this puzzle trying to figure out what amounts to little more than a 3x5 patch of land. But none of these things (except the "DRAWN" thing) is knock on the puzzle. Just strange moments that stand out in an overall fast and fluid solve. Having worked with Caleb, I know and value how much care he puts into non-theme fill. Many Sundays, what you get is All Theme, and at best the fill is mediocre, at worst it's been compromised to make the theme work. Here, not only is the fill mostly smooth, but there are these great bonuses in the Downs, CAROL KANE and DEATH METAL (13D: Music genre of Possessed and Deicide), CUT CORNERS and CHEWBACCA (such a good clue—78D: Solo companion). LADIES' NIGHT! The only one I didn't like was "LOST WEEKEND," and the only reason I didn't like it was that it felt mildly distracting to have a long movie title in the puzzle that fell *outside* the whole EASTER EGG theme. Also, I don't like when "THE"s and "A"s are omitted on titles, esp. long ones (4D: 1945 Best Picture winner, with "The"). But again, these are minor quibbles. There are a lot of very good constructors under 30 at this moment, and Caleb (who is Way under 30) might just be the best of them. If he's not, he's close.

Now about that patch of trouble up top. I got "STARE WARS" easily enough, but hadn't yet clearly grasped the theme, so "SNOWV-" did not trigger the movie "NOW, VOYAGER" the way it was supposed to. So I didn't have the back end of that answer, and I didn't know HENRY I (20D: English king who was a son of William the Conqueror) (I had HENGST in there... which is wrong on so many levels—five centuries to early, misspelled, legendary ...). I had ROE but absolute didn't know FLAGG (8D: Recurring Stephen King antagonist Randall ___) or ARGONS (27A: Atoms in some light bulbs) and, most importantly, thought SEL was EAU (19A: It's found in la mer). So ... I was just stopped. For I don't know how long. Once I (finally) ditched EAU, ASSAY and TETRA went in pretty quickly, and then I pieced it all together. Wrong answers are The Worst. Lately, all of my disastrous time losses have been due not to ignorance, but to a wrong answer I am sure is right (so sure that I don't even question it).

There was a good deal of pop culture in the grid, beyond the theme itself (not atypical for a Madison grid). I never saw "D.C. CAB," but I do know it exists, so the odd combination of letters in that answer didn't throw me off (13A: 1983 film debut of Bill Maher). I never listened to MYA, but I know her name (this is true for me of almost all pop singers who got famous after 1996) (95A: One-named R&B singer). I know NATASHA Bedingfield from ... something. "Torn?" Nope, that's Natalie Imbruglia. Hmmm ... It's a name I know from people mentioning it on "Idol" (way back when, when I watched "Idol"). Oh, right, "Unwritten." Some girl sang it and promptly got sent home. Anyway, her name has stuck for some reason (74A: Pop singer Bedingfield).

  • 3D: Mythological figure often depicted holding a kithara (ERATO) — looks forbidding. Isn't. Just good ol' ERATO. A "kithara" is a lyre-like instrument.
  • 29D: Noted American writer in Yiddish (ASCH) — Sholem. Never read him. Just know him.
  • 35D: Computer used to predict the 1952 presidential election (UNIVAC) — ENIAC wouldn't fit. I have heard of UNIVAC (which always sounds like a vacuum brand to me), but had no idea it predicted anything, let alone the '52 election.
  • 102D: Ones who wrote in the Ogham alphabet (GAELS) — got it off the "G"; I don't know ... just sounded Gaelic. And that's how I solved that.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

Stock pantomime character / SAT 3-30-13 / Orangish gem / Inti worshipers / Privateer who captained Blessed William / Wall St manipulators / Symbol of elasticity in economics / Mikado weapon / 1968 #2 hit with lyric my love for you is way out of line

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Constructor: Gareth Bain

Relative difficulty: Easy (maybe Easy-Medium)

THEME: none

Word of the Day: MOW (60D: Part of a barn) —
1. The place in a barn where hay, grain, or other feed is stored.
2. A stack of hay or other feed stored in a barn.
• • •

Mostly very easy, with a couple sticky places. The stickiest was the SE, where EYEWASH is [Nonsense] and MOW is [Part of a barn]. Rural + olde-timey = place I do not live. I ran the alphabet to get the "W," and knew it was right only because I had a vague memory of seeing EYEWASH used in this capacity before in crosswords (as with SARD [Orangish gem], I have never seen it anywhere outside puzzles). I'd've gone with EYELASH and actress Gretchen MOL, but that's just because I hate the figurative and literal meanings of EYEWASH so much. Just ... off-putting somehow. But the rest of this grid is pretty nice. I do Not understand building a puzzle around THE AGING PROCESS (37A: Gerontologist's study). The THE makes it weird, and the phrase itself just has no pop. You've got one 15 here: make it count! But I do love the mid-range stuff, like PROM KING (5D: Alpha senior?) and "OH, PLEASE" and the delightfully creepy "YOUNG GIRL" (21D: 1968 #2 hit with the lyric "My love for you is way out of line"). I even like "I HATE MEN," despite never having heard of it—it was easy enough to infer from knowing the plot of "Taming of the Shrew" (38D: "Kiss Me, Kate" song). In a 70-worder, I'd rather not see stuff like STLO and IRT and MIRY and SARD and SNEE and any number of other short dull/common stuff, especially with nothing *terribly* interesting in the corners to offset it. So I liked it, but with a lower-case "L."

[barbed wire ... wait for it ...]

Wrote SCRIPTS in immediately and was surprised it worked out (1A: In-box material for some agents)—a rare obvious Saturday 1A. I don't know where PIERROT lives in my brain, but he's in there somewhere—I'm guessing crosswords put him there. I felt lucky to be able to piece that together pretty quickly. Felt right, then crosses confirmed it. I got MIRY off the "I"—that's how used I am to seeing that absurd word. Once I got "YOUNG GIRL," I was able to fan out in all directions. NE and E were astonishingly easy—probably Tuesday/Wednesday easy. Had some trouble in the SW until "I HATE MEN" broke it open. Then there was the SE, where I finished with that damn MOW / EYEWASH cross. Had a few odd missteps. Wanted to write in OGDEN (?) at 32A: Writer of the lines "Pigeons on the grass alas. / Pigeons on the grass alas" (STEIN). Is that Gertrude STEIN? It must be ... yep. It is.

Not much else to say. Didn't know a few things, like 45D: Annie once played by Ethel Merman (OAKLEY) or 53D: Privateer who captained the Blessed William (KIDD), but crosses took care of them pretty quickly. I don't really know what "Inti" is, but INCAS came readily (28D: Inti worshipers). I thought [XX] was a pretty damned clever clue for FEMALE.

I'm going to go bask in the warm afterglow of Michigan's OT win over Kansas now. It's been a long time since UM was good at basketball—you gotta go back to my first years in grad school—I got there the same year as the Fab Five. Good times. OK, bye.
    Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

    Writer Moore Moorehead / FRI 3-29-13 / Isle near Mull / Matsuhisa celebrity chef / My Name Is Earl co-star Suplee / Second-simplest hydrocarbon / Autodom's ZR1 for one / Whom Turkey's Weeping Rock is said to represent / Annie characters / Cackling loon with white coat

    Friday, March 29, 2013

    Constructor: Josh Knapp

    Relative difficulty: Medium

    THEME: Battle for WORLD DOMINATION (36A: Goal for many a 26- or 43-Across)—

    26A: Cackling loon with a white coat (MAD SCIENTIST)
    43A: Mighty heavy (SUPER-VILLAIN)

    Word of the Day: NOBU Matsuhisa (32D: ___ Matsuhisa, celebrity chef and restaurateur) —
    Nobuyuki "Nobu" Matsuhisa (松久 信幸 Matsuhisa Nobuyuki; born March 10, 1949) is a celebrity chef and restaurateur known for his fusion cuisineblending traditional Japanese dishes with South American (Peruvian) ingredients. His signature dish is black cod in miso. Nobu Los Angeles ranked 13th in the Elite Traveler World's Top Restaurants Guide 2012. (wikipedia)
    • • •

    We are taking care of a little dog this week—in addition to the two bigger dogs we already own. This is her first night here and she is not at all comfortable being out of her element yet. She also has this "thunder vest," which is just a piece of dog clothing that hugs her body and keeps her calm. She seems like a pretty mellow dog, so I guess the vest really works. Still, she is up and down and up and down (I can hear her upstairs now in my daughter's room, all paws and jangling collar, having trouble getting settled). It's awfully distracting. I tell you all this as a way to try to explain why I spent the first two minutes of my solving time tonight absolutely spinning my wheels. Yes, I blame the dog. Actually, I don't know what kept me from getting my head into the game. The first few minutes were a total train wreck. Or free fall. Or choose your metaphor. And then ... I was done. And I don't really know what happened in between stuck and done. Even when I tried to retrace my steps, I couldn't quite remember how I finished. I drifted aimlessly for what felt like ever, then got some traction, then five minutes later I was done. So how difficult was this? No idea. My time says slightly harder than average. But my experience was "impossible" followed by "piece of cake." So I split the difference.

      After stumbling around for a bit, I finally wrote in AWNS at 31D: Stiff bristles and then figured out THE / NBA very quickly (35A: With 40-Across, "Inside ___" (postgame show)). Somehow, between THE and NBA, I was able to creep into the middle of the grid. Actually, I think finally seeing (and instantly getting—why didn't I see it earlier?) OBOE (7D: Strauss wrote a concerto in D for it) was also instrumental. Got NIOBE off that B (15A: Whom Turkey's Weeping Rock is said to represent), then guessed TNN (4D: "Larry's Country Diner" channel), got THROB (4A: Beat), and then "got" BENEFITING (which I eventually changed to BENEFICIAL) (8D: Doing good). Yes, working from little answers in E, W, and N, I was finally able to get the grip I needed to throttle this thing. Then, strangely, clues that seemed inscrutable suddenly became obvious. Everything except GRAPE SHOT (33D: Small cannon balls) —never heard of that. Overall, this grid looks very nice, and the "theme" (such as it is), is entertaining, and pretty well-hidden. I mean, those theme clues are heavy on the misdirection (the first seems avian, the second adjectival). There's maybe a bit too much contemporary throwaway pop culture here. "Larry's Country Diner" *and* Lindsay LOHAN (57A: "I Know Who Killed Me" star, 2007) *and* ETHAN Suplee (whom I know by sight but not at all by name—if he were solidly xword-famous, we'd've seen SUPLEE in a puzzle by now) (47A: "My Name Is Earl" co-star Suplee)? You want your puzzles to feel modern and fresh, but not cheaply so. But all these answers were gettable via crosses (and LOHAN is legit famous, at any rate), so I didn't find the poppy stuff too distracting. Very disappointed with myself for not getting ALAN straight off (20A: Writer Moore or Moorehead). Never heard of ALAN Moorehead, but I've been reading a huge stack of papers on ALAN Moore's Watchmen, and still his name didn't even occur to me here. I'm so not used to his being referred to as, simply, a writer, though that is certainly what he is.

      Best clue: [One preparing an oil pan?] => ART CRITIC. "Letteral" clues often mean an uptick in email for me, so I'll just explain straight out that ["Annie" characters] => ENS refers to the letter "N," which appears twice in the word "Annie."

      Good day.
        Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

        Impressionist Frank / THU 3-28-13 / 1974 John Carpenter sci-fi film / Waikiki warbler / Jar of Hearts singer Christina /Best-selling thriller author Daniel

        Thursday, March 28, 2013

        Constructor: Randolph Ross

        Relative difficulty: Challenging

        THEME: THIRTEE(NC)OLONIES — state abbrevs. for the thirteen colonies are hidden in squares throughout the grid. Inhabitants of those colonies (white ones, anyway), became AMERICAN CITIZENS, I guess, after 1776 (35A: Fourth of July celebrants).

        Word of the Day: Christina PERRI (21D: "Jar of Hearts"  singer Christina) —
        Christina Judith Perri (born August 19, 1986) is an American singer-songwriter and musician from Philadelphia. Her song "Jar of Hearts" charted in the United States after it was featured on the Fox television show So You Think You Can Dance in 2010. Rolling Stone named her the "Band of the Week" on October 26, 2010. On May 10, 2011, Perri's "Jar of Hearts" was featured in the "Prom Night" episode of Fox musical series Glee; the following month, it was featured in the episode "Dance Amongst Daggers" of ABC Family drama Switched at Birth. Perri recorded the song "A Thousand Years" for the film The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn (2011) and it appears on the accompanying soundtrack. (wikipedia)
        • • •

        I've seen state postal code puzzles like this before—more elaborate and more interesting ones. Not that this wasn't somewhat fun to piece together. Lots and lots of "d'oh" moments as I tried and finally succeeded at pushing my way through all the stuck places. Figuring out "NC" was at the heart of the puzzle was a Big breakthrough, as before that I had the group as THIRTEEN ... OLD something? But "old" was in the clue, so ... I had no idea. Wanted "colonies," but it "didn't fit." Until it did. Most of the other state abbrevs. weren't that hard to come up with once I figured out the theme, which actually happened fairly early. But there was a lot WTF-ery in the fill, esp. in the Proper Noun category. Didn't know either CALIENDO (44A: Impressionist Frank) or SILVA (42D: Best-selling thriller author Daniel ___), so luckily that "I" was totally inferrable. "DARK STAR"? (19A: 1974 John Carpenter sci-fi film)?? Never heard of it. But again, pretty easy to guess / get from crosses. Worst section of the puzzle for me, though, involved this PERRI person. Didn't know OSCINE (though I'm pretty sure I've seen it before) and didn't know PERRI, so RECUR (31A: Come and go) was actually the hardest word in the puzzle for me to get. I hadn't gone back and counted yet, but I thought another colony might be involved. I had OSSINE and RESU(ME) and ... I guess that would've made her name PERMEI ... why not? Seems as plausible as PERRI. I was *stunned* to find out PERRI was contemporary. "Jar of Hearts" is a really awkward-sounding song name, and since it was clear she was only in this puzzle because her name was weirdly spelled, I assumed she was going to be of the bygone variety of entertainer. I mean, if your most famous song is "Jar of Hearts," and I've never heard of it, you must be from some other generation. Which is true. Just ... a generation *younger* than me. Not older. It begins.  I guess now if you have one song that went to #17 (?), you can be in the puzzle?  Still, any way you cut it, PERRI is cruddy fill, and proximity to OSCINE was nasty. FORK OVER was pretty nice, though (4D: Pay), and given the severe strictures of the theme, I'd say this came out OK. Mild thumbs-up.

        Wow. Listening to "Jar of Hearts" right now. I have never heard a word or note of this song. I guess this is what happens when a song is famous mainly for being featured on TV shows / movies I have no interest in watching. In fact, if you ever catch me watching "So You Think You Can Dance," you'll know it's time to put me down. You hear that, honey? Down!

        • 13A: Waikiki warbler (DON HO) — "ON HER Majesty's Secret Service" was the thing that tipped me off that something weird was afoot. SCATHE / SCOTTS confirmed it. But back to "NH"—I put in "ON HER" and then thought "what in the world could have an 'NH' in that position?" And here you go. Ho.
        • 22A: Inarticulate comebacks (OHS) — "Inarticulate??" I beg to differ. Oh yes I do.
        • 42A: Priebus's predecessor as Republican Party chairman (STEELE) — he's now a punching bag at MSNBC. Still, way more likable and far better at that chairman job than Priebus is, that's for sure.
        • 55A: Cheerleader's asset (SPIRIT) — I had 50D: Heed the alarm as RISE (not the correct ARISE) and (thus?) I had this answer as SPLIT. It's *almost* a perfectly good answer.

        Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

        Pontiac's tribe / WED 3-27-13 / Jungle vines / Ring separator / Hidden water menace / Ole Miss rival / Auto additive with red oval logo / Where some commuter drink

        Wednesday, March 27, 2013

        Constructor: David J. Kahn

        Relative difficulty: Medium-Challenging

        THEME: Elevators — circled letters spell out inventor the elevator, OTIS. Two OTISes going down, two OTISes going up, and then a revealer: UPS AND DOWNS (25D: Vicissitudes of life, as for the the inventor named in the circled squares?)

        Word of the Day: LIANES (29D: Jungle vines) —
        [More commonly LIANAS]
        Any of various climbing, woody, usually tropical vines.

        [Alteration of French liane, probably from lier, to bind, from Old French. See liable.]

        Read more:
        • • •

        Er ... didn't like this one much. I can see, in retrospect, that the theme is cute in its way: elevators, up and down, OTIS SITO SITO OTIS, what not. But between the asymmetrical, scattered circles and the ultra-choppy grid and the Olde Schoole fill, it was a bit of a mess to look at, and solve. The circles and chopped-up middle of the grid, with all the segments and black squares, made the whole thing too busy. Made my eyes tired just to look at it. I couldn't get traction anywhere at first, and then when I did, I kept running into UGH-y and/or dull stuff with lots of Es and Rs in it. The TERSER AXER and the TIERED REFEREE, the alt-spelled LIANES, ANI and ASI, UPI and UBI, and the REY of them all, ONERS. This puzzle is all theme—everything else suffers for the visual gag. I admire the theme concept, but ... Not on my wavelength, and not my cup of tea. A very old-feeling puzzle. (I mean, Irving Bacheller? EBEN Holden? That one hasn't been out of mothballs in ages).

        Theme answers:
        • 3D: Cookers for chickens and franks (ROTISSERIES)
        • 34D: Bank customer, at times (DEPOSITOR)
        • 7D: Ignores others' advice (HAS IT ONE'S OWN WAY)
        • 9D: Stocks in great demand (HOT ISSUES)

        Cluing on this is another weakness. It's both dull and vague, most of the time. Or it's imprecise. 35A: What you may call it? (NOUN). You *may* call "it" that, but you're more likely to call it a PRONOUN, because that is what "it" is. Most of the rest of the clues are one or two words, and feel like they were pulled from among the most common clues in a database. No imagination, no sparkle. It would be nice if some effort were put into making the whole grid entertaining, not just the theme parts. When [Ring separator] is by far your most interesting clue, there's a problem. As I look over the clues and the grid ... there just isn't much to say. Uh, let's see ... I thought [Start of school?] was ESS. It was PRE. Nope, that's not interesting ... I've never heard of HOT ISSUES (9D: Stocks in great demand) in the context of stocks, so that's something new ... but still not interesting. I give up. See you tomorrow.
          Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

          Thor's archenemy in comics / TUE 3-26-13 / Title Seuss character who speaks for trees / Wow you're regular expert at turning left / Bears legend Walter / Classic video game consoles

          Tuesday, March 26, 2013

          Constructor: Samuel A. Donaldson and Doug Peterson

          Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium

          THEME: WOW! — Idiomatic expressions of surprise, clued literally (i.e. absurdly)

          Word of the Day: GLENDA Jackson (62A: Jackson with two Best Actress Oscars) —

          Glenda May JacksonCBE (born 9 May 1936) is a British Labour Party politician and former actress. She has been a Member of Parliament(MP) since 1992, and currently represents Hampstead and Kilburn. She previously served as MP for Hampstead and Highgate. After constituency changes for the 2010 general election, her majority of 42 votes was one of the closest results of the entire election.[1]
          As an actress, she won two Academy Awards for Best Actress: for Women in Love (1970) and A Touch of Class (1973). (wikipedia)
          • • •

          Hey, I know these guys. Seriously, I know them. We had dinner a couple weeks ago in Brooklyn. So I would recuse myself, but this isn't the damned Supreme Court, so I'm going to say what's obvious, which is this puzzle is fantastic. Everything a Tuesday should be but somehow rarely is—bright, playful, entertaining, interesting, and easyish. And today, also a little bit ridiculous. I mean, some of these theme clues are hilariously absurd. I think my favorite is "Wow, you're a regular expert at turning left!" This fusty, archaic thing I know from crosswords (i.e. GEE = turn-left command to a horse) all of a sudden becomes charming in this ridiculous-clue context. The theme clues are my favorite part, but even if you leave them aside and consider only the grid, the puzzle still rules. All those exclamations look great, as do THE LORAX (14A: Title Seuss character who speaks for trees) and ROADKILL (67A: Animal that's been run over); the long Downs are more than solid; and there's hardly any junky fill anywhere. Plus you've got OMG as a nice little bonus theme answer (44A: Texter's expression of surprise). Great work.

          Theme answers:
          • 17A: "Wow, he survived!" ("MAN ALIVE!")
          • 26A: "Wow, you're a regular expert at turning left!" ("GEE WHIZ!")
          • 38A: "Wow, those reptiles have mad hops!" ("LEAPIN' LIZARDS") — ICYDK: "mad hops" is basketball slang for "amazing jumping ability"
          • 52A: "Wow, look at that bovine idol!" ("HOLY COW!")
          • 64A: "Wow, I'm standing next to Mr. Clooney himself!" ("BY GEORGE!")

          I had three detectable hold-ups during this solve—all Downs, all in the south. First one happened with the drain sound, GURGLE (50D: Sound of draining water). Had the -GLE, and wanted GURGLE, but then second-guessed myself, mainly because I feared I might be making that word up. "GURGLE ... is GURGLE a word?" Your (my) brain does this sometimes at relatively high speeds, and by "does this" I mean "jams." Next problem was with "I READ YOU" (40D: "Understood"), which (like GURGLE) is a great answer, but when you're coming at it from the top, looks like "I REALIZE" or "REASON" or something. I mean, those aren't good / don't fit, but the three-word phrase just wasn't visible to me til I got that terminal "U." Lastly, and worst of all, was NOT ANY (46D: Zero). Again, came at it from the top, and wanted ... NOTHING, but that' wouldn't fit ... then NOBODY (as in "he's a zero, he's a NOBODY), but that gave me nonsensical BEED at 58A. Ended up having to come at it from underneath via SWEATY GLENDA and PAYTON (sexy!).
            Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

            Rapper in film 21 Jump Street / MON 3-25-13 / Frederick who composed My Fair Lady / Once-in-lifetime pilgrimage / Autobahn auto / Olympian sledder / Father biblically

            Monday, March 25, 2013

            Constructor: Adam Prince

            Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium

            THEME: CAPTAIN (37A: Title that can precede the starts of 17-, 23-, 49- and 59-Across)

            Theme answers:
            • 17A: Recipe holders (COOK BOOKS)
            • 23A: Irregular trial venue (KANGAROO COURT)
            • 49A: "The Shawshank Redemption" actor (MORGAN FREEMAN)
            • 59A: Basketball scoring attempts that are difficult to block (HOOK SHOTS)

            Word of the Day: ICE CUBE (10D: Rapper in the film "21 Jump Street") —

            O'Shea Jackson (born June 15, 1969), better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, screenwriter, film producer, and director. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined N.W.A (Niggas With Attitudes). After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer, director, actor and producer in cinema. Additionally, he has served as one of the producers of the Showtime television series Barbershop and the TBS seriesAre We There Yet?, both of which are based upon films in which he portrayed the lead character.
            Cube is noted as a proficient lyricist and storyteller and is regarded as a brutally honest rapper; his lyrics are often political as well as violent, and he is considered one of the founding artists in gangsta rap. He was ranked #8 on MTV's list of the 10 Greatest MCs of All Time, while fellow rapper Snoop Dogg ranked Ice Cube as the greatest MC of all time. ranked him #11 on its list of the "Top 50 Greatest MCs of Our Time." Allmusic has called him one of hip-hop's best and most controversial artists, as well as "one of rap's greatest storytellers." In 2012, The Source ranked him #14 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time. (wikipedia)
            • • •

            Theme is basic and pretty dull, but the grid is wonderful, especially for a Monday (if you ignore EOCENE, which is always terrible—22A: Epoch when mammals arose). There's some mild Scrabble-f***ing going on with that "Q" and that "J", but no harm done. Lots of interesting fill, including, most notably, "SCREW IT!" (42D: "Ugh, who cares?!"). I am mildly stunned that this is now acceptable crossword fare. Pleasantly stunned, but stunned nonetheless. Swear words! KABOOM! It's a whole new world. Pass the GUACAMOLE (33D: Super Bowl bowlful).

            [3D: "Craps player's boast" ("I'M ON A ROLL!")]

            I was done pretty quickly today, but Yet Again lost 10-20 seconds hunting down a stupid typo. I am lucky that tournament solving is done on paper, because I would have errors left right and center if those competitions required keyboard entry of answers. And of course the typo was at the *bottom* of the grid: HHOKSHOTS crossing FRHTH. Sure. That's plausible. Idiot. Besides that self-inflicted wound, my biggest hindrance today was, ironically, ICE CUBE. Usually the rap clue is the thing that gives me traction, the gimme, Old Reliable, but today I saw "21 Jump Street" and (of course) thought TV show ... Johnny Depp was not a rapper. That other big white dude was not a rapper. What's her name ... Holly Robinson Peete? Is that right? Yes, it is. Still, not a rapper. But even if I were thinking of the movie (which I saw), I don't think it would've helped. It's a weird, weird way to clue ICE CUBE, who is legitimately famous for lots of movies and songs and albums. He's not one of the two main stars of "Jump Street." I don't even remember which role he played. Of course I saw the movie on a 13 hour flight from L.A. to Auckland, so I might not have been the most attentive watcher, but still—weird clue. And it held me up. Not a lot. But some. That LOEWE dude held me up slightly too, but that's *much* more understandable (58A: Frederick who composed "My Fair Lady").
              Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

              KNO3 in Britain / SUN 3-24-13 / Baja vacation spot informally / Tolstoy O'Neill heroines / Traditional enemies of Kiowa / Tellico Dam agcy / Two-time ice-skating medalist Brian / 1994 film based on SNL skit / 1804 symphony that includes funeral march

              Sunday, March 24, 2013

              Constructor: Dan Schoenholz

              Relative difficulty: Medium-Challenging

              THEME: "You'll Know It When You See It" — famous people's answers to the question "WHAT IS ART?" (67A: Classic question answered six times in this puzzle)

              Theme answers:
              • 24A: Answer to 67-Across, per John F. Kennedy ("THE GREAT DEMOCRAT")
              • 32A: Answer to 67-Across, per Yeats ("BUT A VISION OF REALITY")
              • 49A: Answer to 67-Across, per Malraux ("A REVOLT AGAINST FATE")
              • 88A: Answer to 67-Across, per Beethoven ("SELFISH AND PERVERSE")
              • 107A: Answer to 67-Across, per Nietzsche ("THE PROPER TASK OF LIFE")
              • 116A: Answer to 67-Across, per Emerson ("A JEALOUS MISTRESS")

              Word of the Day: HORAE (68D: Greek goddesses of the seasons) —
              Horae ('), in Greek religion and mythology, goddesses of the seasons; daughters of Zeus and Themis. Although they controlled the recurrence of the seasons, they also attended other gods and had no cults of their own. The number and names of the Horae differed from region to region. According to Hesiod, there were three Horae-Eirene or Irene (peace), Dice or Dike (justice), and Eunomia (order).

              Read more:
              • • •

              First, the title of this puzzle refers to porn, not art. Actually, not porn exactly, but obscenity. One of the better known phrases in U.S. Supreme Court history. Anyway, not terribly apt. Second, I wouldn't call "WHAT IS ART?" a "classic question." "IS IT ART?," yes. That is a question. A commonly occurring question you can find all over the place. "WHAT IS ART?" is "classic" only insofar as Tolstoy wrote an essay with that title, I guess. I'm nitpicking a bit, but when you hang your whole puzzle on this stuff, it better hold. My main issue with the puzzle, though, is that the answers are essentially a series of aphorisms or bumper stickers or email sig file quotations or motivational posters. Beethoven's quote is kind of interesting, and Kennedy's has at least a little bit of non-hackneyed flavor to it, but the others are a blur of banality and vagueness posing as wisdom. In short, they're just boring. Now, they were not easy to pick up always, which means that at least at the level of solving, I was not always bored. That is to say, I was sufficiently challenged. And the fill, in general, is really quite solid. Fine, clean work. But the theme just doesn't have any sparkle.

              I had one major (and I mean Major) sticking point in this solve. DISH for FISH, LEO- for UNI- (75D: Lead-in to -tard), and thus SELDO- opening the Beethoven quote. Naturally, I figured the phrase was SELDOM something. And there I sat. When everything else was done, there I sat. And sat. Now it turns out I was misreading the clue at 68D: Greek goddesses of the seasons (HORAE). I kept reading it as singular. Had I processed the damned plural, it is Highly likely H---E would've led me to HORAE. But I saw singular, and thus could do nothing. Also --DUP for 84D: Reach, with "at"? Just nothing. A huge blank. Would not compute. Eventually, I somehow decided 83A: KNO3, in Britain could be NITRO. This did the trick (I mean, it's NITRE, but NITRO got me unjammed). I looked at what I had for the Beethoven: SELDISH AND PERVERSE. Then had my big "d'oh!" moment. FISH does make better sense than DISH for 89D: Menu heading, but I never questioned it. Saw -ISH, wrote in DISH. The end. Almost. Everything else in the grid seemed to be clued at average to slightly above-average difficulty, but the real problem was that the theme answers were the sort you had to hammer out from crosses, which meant that you couldn't move very easily or freely from section to section. I had to keep pulling up stakes and moving to new sections where I had nothing, instead of building on existing answers. This was the source of all my pre-freefall difficulty.

              • 5A: Tolstoy and O'Neill heroines (ANNAS) — familiar with the first (from one of my favorite novels), not so familiar with the second.
              • 19A: Baja vacation spot, familiarly (CABO) — San Lucas. The very name reminds me of Sammy Hagar. Maybe he owns a restaurant there? I don't know. But my brain feels there is some connection. Aha. Yes. Cabo Wabo.
              • 58A: Oranges and lemons (TREES) — an old trick I fell for badly. Needed many crosses to pick up this should've-been-easy answer.
              • 60A: 1994 film based on an "S.N.L." skit ("IT'S PAT") — love Julia Sweeney, but this character was Never my favorite.
              • 70A: Camera shop item, informally (ZOOM) — without the "Z," not the easiest answer to pick up.
              • 122A: Iona College athlete (GAEL) — Go GAELs! Oh, too late, they just got crushed by Ohio State. Better luck next year GAELs!
              • 2D: Mediterranean salad with bulgur wheat, chopped tomatoes and parsley (TABOULI) — no excuse for blanking on this one. Had the T- and terminal -I and could think of nothing but TAHINI, which I knew wasn't it. Ugh. Stupid brain.
              • 13D: Like most Bluetooth headsets (ONE-EAR) — 'Cause STUPID-LOOKING wouldn't fit.
              • 14D: As easy as pie, say (SIMILE) — I can't be the only one who had SIM- and wrote in -PLE. I just can't.
              • 25D: 1804 symphony that includes a funeral march ("EROICA") — one of the first pieces of classical music I ever heard played live. A very common 6-letter answer.
              • 63D: Traditional enemies of the Kiowa (OSAGE) — I had OTAMI, by which I think I meant OTOMI, which I only just learned the other day, and which is All Kinds of Wrong.
              • 72D: Christiansen who founded Lego (OLE) — literally ugh-ed at this one. For some reason I resent having to know this guy's name. I just don't think he's famous. And look, you put OLE in your puzzle, just cop to it. Quit trying to make it Euro-fancy.
              • 108D: Two-time Olympic ice-skating medalist Brian (ORSER) — he was an UNSER for a bit. Sports-wise, that answer was way, way, way off.
              Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

              P.S. an important update on my post from last week about reader Jen CT and her efforts to raise money for her new service dog—readers of this blog were so generous that in less than four days (!?!) her $9500 funding goal had been met. The people at NEADS wrote me to tell me they'd never seen such an overwhelming response to a fundraising drive. They also invited me to visit their facility in central Massachusetts, where I am told there is a "house full of puppies," which means that if I go, I may never return. If this blog goes dark, you'll know why: I am in the puppy house and I am never ever leaving. Anyway, Jen and NEADS and I thank all of you who donated to her cause. Jen wanted me to inform everyone that, unfortunately, her first service dog Ollie was not a good match for her, but a new dog is being trained as we speak, and Ollie will find the human he's meant for, so things are fine. Better than fine. To anyone who meant to contribute but never got around to it, Jen's raising money toward the cost of an accessible van here. Again, your generosity was truly astonishing. Thank you.

              Spiral-horned antelope / SAT 3-23-13 / 1920-24 owner of Metro Pictures / Shogunate capital / View from Biancavilla / One of reality TV's Guidettes / American Scholar speech giver / Creator of heroine Catherine Earnshaw / Name on London Hall / English Channel feeder / 10th century European king

              Saturday, March 23, 2013

              Constructor: David Steinberg

              Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium

              THEME: none

              Word of the Day: EXE (36A: English Channel feeder) —
              The River Exe (pron.: /ˈɛks/ eks) in England rises at Exe Head, near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, 8.4 kilometres (5 mi) from the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon. It reaches the sea at a substantial ria, the Exe Estuary, on the south (English Channel) coast of Devon. Historically, its lowest bridging point was atExeter, though there is now a viaduct for the M5 motorway about 3 kilometres (2 mi) south of the city centre. (wikipedia)
              • • •

              Hey, I know this kid. I saw him in Brooklyn earlier this month, and he seems busy. He's got a puzzle in "Twenty Under Thirty"—the collection of puzzles by young constructors, for which I was a judge, which just came out (get it here)—he's got a puzzle in "American Red Crosswords"—the Hurricane Sandy benefit collection that I put together (get it here)—and his work on the Pre-Shortzian Puzzle Project (digitizing NYT puzzles going back to 1942) continues apace. In fact, earlier this evening, I was editing a conversation between me and Matt Gaffney (about a Sunday puzzle from 1989) that will appear on the Pre-Shortzian Puzzle Project's website some time in the near future. It's a wide-ranging, occasionally ridiculous conversation about puzzles, then and now. Look for it. But back to David—all this crossword stardom and he's still just a teenager. This puzzle has its strong places and its weak places. The toughest place—the place where I started, flailed, and ended (flailing)—was also the prettiest: the NW corner. That is one nifty stack of 11s. Its symmetrical counterpart is solid, if not quite as stunning. The other corners, I had less love for. URI RES OLAFI and EXE kind of deflated my love for the NE; and while the SW is better, it's a little generic. Plus, I generally try to keep EGG SACS as far away from my MOON PIEs as possible.

              NW was hardest because 1A: "Another Cinderella Story" co-star, 2008 meant *nothing* to me. I know who SELENA GOMEZ is (I have a 12-year-old daughter), but that movie title could've been any movie title. In fact, that whole corner didn't even begin to open up until I got the "Z" from ZEALOUSLY. Then OOZE. Then I saw ARIZONA (though I thought it was YUMA, at first, not MESA). Then MNO (9D: 6 string ). Then, and only then, did I get GOMEZ. After that, completely unknown ABRAM (6D: Norm of "This Old House") and barely known and somehow unforgotten NYALA (5D: Spiral-horned antelope) finally came into view, and the corner resolved itself. Before that, no real struggles—just a steady Saturday stroll. Started with RONA, then ON GOAL and LOEW (34D: 1920-24 owner of Metro Pictures) came together almost simultaneously, and from there the middle opened up. Weird. I don't usually get my first traction in the middle of a grid, but that's what happened. Needed help to remember stupid Euro-rivers (EXE, ORNE [Neighbor or Eure-et-Loir]) and Euro-provinces (on cantons, I guess—URI), and I had a few wrong answers that held me up: many different channels before AMC at 24A: Channel with the tagline "Story matters here"; COS before COT (64D: Trig function); GOES before DOES (35A: Gets along); ULM for URI (16A: It's bisected by the Reuss River); and the only-a-constant-solver-and-idiot-could-make-that-mistake mistake: scenic Sicilian ENNA instead of the much more obvious and common Mt. ETNA (10D: View from Biancavilla).

              NOTE: 9D: 6 string is MNO because that is the "string" of letters on the "6" button on your phone. I get more mail about phone keyboard clues than virtually any other kind of clues, and so I'm hoping, perhaps futilely, to pre-unclog my Inbox with this note. Thank you.

              • 15A: Creator of the heroine Catherine Earnshaw (EMILY BRONTË) — nooooo idea. But got the whole answer off just a few letters on the back end.
              • 21A: Name on a London hall (ALBERT) — first guess, ended up right. Very useful in Saturday puzzles.
              • 43A: Bearers of bright red anils (YEWS) — I have resigned myself to never remembering being able to keep ANIL and ARIL straight. Such is my lot.
              • 53A: Shogunate capital (EDO) — certified Old Skool crosswordese. Gimme.
              • 57A: One of reality TV's "Guidettes" (SNOOKI) — not "Guid-" as in "TV Guide," but "Guid-" as in "Guido." I've never seen the show, but I put SNOOKI in a puzzle once. I think she got edited out.
              • 66A: Epitome of dedication, in modern usage (REAL TROOPER) — this is cute.
              • 67A: Either of two cousin Udalls: Abbr. (SEN.) — me: "Are they both named MOE?" No. Neither. One is Mark (CO). One is Tom (NM).
              • 2D: "The American Scholar" speech giver (EMERSON) — I was desperately trying to remember H.L. MENCKEN's name. Turns out I was thinking of "The American Mercury." That's what's called Knowing Too Much And Too Little Simultaneously.
              Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

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