11 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword Answers 17 Oct 16, Monday”

  1. I had a good time with this easy puzzle – not much to comment on. I got the theme after the last long fill – very cute. I better finish this post soon, I have two toilet leaks that need to be fixed – will probably have to call a plumber – if I can remember the last one I used ….

    Although I am not much into religion and gods – ‘Uma’ is ( one of the – ) names of the hindu goddess of the dawn ( much like Eos ?). I have a niece, with that name, now a physical therapist in LA, who, as a child, used to be bright, sunny and always cheerful. That was over 50 years ago ….
    Because of syncretism (?), buddhism, especially the tibetian versions, have appropriated a lot of hindu gods and goddesses. Tara and Uma, for instance, come to mind.

    Finally, ‘Kill Bill’ just brings to mind, something I was researching yesterday night. The famous / infamous Kalimantan-ian, Borneo-ian and Sumatran Helmeted Hornbill. . This unfortunate bird has been hunted viciously to extinction, because of its socalled valuable ‘bill’. Also called bird ‘ivory’, actually a hair constituent, (keratin), this bird has a “solid” ornamental, double bill, (called a ‘casque’ ), on top of its regular feeding bill – which can be carved like ivory. Or more like a rhino horn. Thus a bird “ivory” – with deadly consequences. Very very sad.
    See some images of the helmeted hornbill ivory carved samples, here. .

    Have a nice day, and a good weekend, all.

  3. Hi all!

    @Jeff
    I do run across a lot of different things at the different sales. Not a lot interests me, because I’m not into novels, but I have enough for the winter at the moment. I think the e-trend has gotten to the books as well as the music and movies. Between estate sales (owner has passed), a book store chain shutting down (I pulled 3 CDs out of them for 70 cents a couple of days ago) and a trend to lighten the load for those who have adopted e-books, you can find a lot of all 3 really cheap these days. Think $1 on average and $2 at the most. Fact of that, though, is that book stores are going on the endangered species list – you almost have to go to e-bay if you want something specific anymore.

    Now to some puzzles (10/10-16):
    Couple of stupid errors through the week (Wed, Fri), 2 on Saturday, 3 on Sunday, 4 on Monday. Atrocious fill on Monday, that’s always peeved me from the beginning. Can’t say I like a lot of how the cluing turned out this week on a “makes no sense” level. Biggest offender being Sat (7-Across? Wrong!), then that weird theme on Sunday (17-Down, Natick 124A/121D).

    I’ll be a little more sparse in the near future on doing puzzles, but will probably be reading here off and on. Have a good week, everyone!

  5. Monday puzzle. Enough said, but not a bad one.

    I first saw Dr. Zhivago after I had already been to Moscow. I was surprised at how well they actually made up the main street (Tverskaya). The topography was pretty much dead on in that it sort of flows downhill into Red Square. I hear they have actually opened up a Dr. Zhivago restaurant near Red Square. Trip Advisor lists it with reviews in various languages.

    Vidwan – I feel for you. About 2 years ago, I was reading the paper in the morning and I heard what sounded like rain falling in the next room. The toilet’s tank upstairs had cracked so the water was leaking out, and then the toilet was re-filling it only to leak out again. This kept happening until it was leaking into the room below it. Luckily I was home and was able to stop it before any real damage happened. Otherwise, I’d have been looking at a major reconstruction of the walls and ceiling of that room. Amazing the damage such a little thing can do potentially.

    I’m dying to make a joke about SHIITAKE mushrooms, but I can’t think of any suitable for print here…

    Best –

  6. @Bill — Thanks, as always for your daily enlightenment. Your notes truly are an enjoyable bonus for solvers. (Pssst — Re that 3D comment on Edison, either that numeral at the end is a typo or I’m missing something.)

  7. 16A: I represented David Carradine for ten years ( I was also a personal friend and officiated at his last marriage). After filming was complete, they decided to split “Kill Bill” into two movies because it was otherwise too long, and they had to renegotiate the payment of all of the actors under a SAG rule called the Salkind Clause (google Salkind Clause Avengers Superman for a detailed explanation). Essentially, he was paid twice, i.e., the same amount under each “contract” for the work that was already performed and of course only filmed once under the original contract. It was a very good deal.

  8. The comments on the hornbill reminded me that the rhino is facing the same fate for the same reason – and his horn is also keratin. I wish the various govts. would educate the fools who go after these animals. Perhaps someone could create phony horns and beaks out of our own keratin.

  9. Sfingi, the rhino horn, is worse because it has TWO uses …. both allegedly fake and idiotic. The first most common alleged use is the powdered horn as in chinese medicine as an aphrodisiac ( what else -). The second use is for the whole horn to be a scabbard for an ornamental curved short dagger, that supposedly makes you victorious in battle. See Janbiya, or Jambia, in Wiki .

    In the modern days, it is about as useful as a society dowager’s purse ( totally ornamental). Most popular in Saudi, Yemen, Oman wealthy socialites.

    Jeff, miracles or miracles ….. I finished the entire job on one of the toilet tanks, myself, with 50% comments, some good but mostly bad, from my wife, who also held the utility lamp, for my blind eyes. . I changed the flapper assembly. first. and then the tougher job of the water inlet and level control valve system. …. maybe I should now apply for a master plumber’s license ….

  10. Dang! My comment disappeared!! What was I saying…..
    Nice puzzle, and don’t worry; I won’t repeat for y’all my Kareem Abdul-Jabbar story!
    Till tomorrow….
    I’ll close with emojis representing my 3 favorite things!
    Be well~~™?⚾☕

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