An article on the front page of today’s NYT sounded like Ray and Tom’s Car Talk theory that holds that the earth’s rotation is caused by billboards, i.e., when wind hits a billboard it causes the earth to rotate. It’s hard to argue against a view that is so strongly anchored in common sense, right? Similarly, Ki-Weon Seo, a geophysicist at Seoul National University, explained why the earth’s axis is going “off-kilter.” The wind is just part of it.
As it moves through space, “the Earth wobbles like a poorly thrown Frisbee” because it bulges at the Equator, water is sloshing around in the oceans, and air masses are whirling. [Oddly, the article does not mention billboards.] Well, now it’s been discovered that the Earth’s axis is “wandering” due to imbalances caused by glaciers and ice sheets melting, and because trillions of gallons of water are being pumped up from underground annually.
The effect has been pretty small so far — I certainly haven’t felt anything, though I do keel over from time to time. So, e.g., there has been no effect on the seasons (which are determined by the planet’s tilt). But navigation systems may be off. The next time you think your GPS is taking you to that new restaurant in West Orange, but you wind up in Lawrenceville, you know what to blame — that f*cking wandering axis. Or maybe this enormous woman. Or the billboards.
Bobby Osborne died on Tuesday at age 91 in a hospital in Gallatin, Tennessee. Besides his accomplishments in Bluegrass music, he fought with the Marines in Korea where he was wounded in combat and awarded a Purple Heart.
His brother Sonny and he formed the Osborne Brothers in 1953 and revolutionized Bluegrass music with innovative harmonies, instrumentals, and an expansive repertoire. Bobby was also a brilliant and innovative mandolinist. Almost single-handedly, he fought off the effort to rename it the persondolin.
He and Sonny were the first to record “Rocky Top,” written by hubby-and-wife team Felice and Boudleaux Bryant. It was the Osbornes’ biggest hit and was adopted as one of Tennessee’s state songs. It’s also the fight song of the U. Tenn Volunteers. “Ain’t no smoggy smoke on Rocky Top: Ain’t no telephone bills.”
I can’t decide which of two versions I like better, so I’m including both. (Neither is the original – sorry Bobby.)
The song appears to be celebrating the murder of federal agents.
Once two strangers climbed ol’ Rocky Top
Looking for a moonshine still.
Strangers ain’t come down from Rocky Top
Reckon they never will.
Bobby was born on Dec. 7, 1931 in Thousandsticks, an unincorporated Appalachian enclave near Hyden, Kentucky. He is survived by his wife Karen, four children, a sister, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren, all of whom, he would be pleased to know, are still tapping their toes.
In the puzzle today “Captain’s emergency quarters” was SEA CABIN. I hadn’t heard of it in all my years on the sea (none). But commenter LTJG John said:
“The Captain’s SEA CABIN is a real thing. It’s a small space adjacent to the bridge on a warship where the Captain can sleep when the ship is under way. Allows him to jump into action quickly when there is an event that requires his immediate presence on the bridge. Otherwise, he would have to be fetched from his fancy Captain’s quarters, which would take many crucial minutes. Saw frequent use of it during 3 years aboard the heavy cruiser USS Saint Paul during the Vietnam war.”
Have you heard the word “dysphemistically?” It’s the opposite of “euphemistically.” In the latter, you use a nicer word; in the former, you use a less nice word. It came in the clue “‘Free to pursue other opportunities,’ dysphemistically.” The answer was AXED. Nicer ways to put it might be “let go,” or “in between jobs.”
How about: “French clog … and the root of an English word meaning “disrupt.” The answer was SABOT and the word that stems from it is “sabotage.” It does come directly from the shoe, per Wanderlust: SABOTage became an English word in the early 20th century, coming from the French saboter, which means “kick with SABOTs, willfully destroy.”
From the Owl Chatter Nit-Picking Dept: 5D today was “First name in pilsners,” and, that being my “wheelhouse,” as they say, I wrote STELLA right down. But it rubbed commenter okanaganer wrongly: “The clue for STELLA grated a bit… Stella is not a first name, it is actually THE name of the beer, latin for ‘star.’ And Artois was the name of the first brewery to make it.”
OK. Thanks! (Burp!)
This is nice — Crossworld doffed its cap to honor Gilda Radner whose birthday it was yesterday (as Owl Chatter noted). In today’s New Yorker puzzle, the clue at 5D was “Gilda Radner ‘S.N.L.’ character based on an iconic journalist.” (Eight letters, and you should know the answer.)
Happy 6th Birthday Leon! What an incredible little guy! To 120, Buddy! (Isaac on the side, uncharacteristically quiet.)
Can’t beat that for an ending. See you tomorrow!
The Wellington Files 