One of the last people you might think would be quoted in a serious discussion of climate change is British comedian Rowan Atkinson, “Mr. Bean.” But he studied electrical engineering at Oxford and was cited in today’s chat in the NYT between Gail Collins and Bret Stephens on the environmental case for sticking with gas vs electric cars. At issue is the roughly 900 pounds of nickel, aluminum, cobalt, and other minerals needed per car battery. But let’s put all that aside for the moment and watch this scene. It starts out mildly amusing and then, well, have a look.
I’m going to cite Rex’s blog a little more than usual today because of what occurred on it. One of my favorite commenters (mathgent) started by posting:
“On Sunday, @weezie wrote that he/she doesn’t like very fast times being posted on the blog. I’d like to hear what others of us like or dislike on the blog. My favorite comments are those where something in the puzzle prompts an expert in that field to give some inside background. Plus, occasionally something will make me laugh.”
Here are some of the responses, ending up with me being called out and issuing an apology! Yikes!
Whatsername wrote: “What I love are the different personalities that shine through. At times I have read posts and knew who wrote it without looking at the name. Also the incredible level of knowledge and the diversity – the wide variety of voices from different walks of life all over the continent and occasionally beyond. I do the crossword to keep my mind from rusting but reading this blog is where I feel it really gets sharpened.”
Joaquin added:
Since you asked …
I particularly like all the new “stuff” that I learn from this blog. For instance, a couple of days ago someone mentioned Raksha Bandhan, the celebration of the love between siblings. This prompted me to send a note to my sibs, giving us all a reminder of our good fortune. I also love reading (and posting) bits of humor, personal stories, and feeling like I have some friends I’ve never met.
Pabloinnh added: Likes: Learning things, sharing a love of words and language, reading folks who make me laugh, feeling clever when I remember something I thought I’d forgotten, commiserating with others over some horrible clue or usage.
Then kitshef came up with:
“Probably my favorite posts are ones where someone links a puzzle entry to something they have read or watched or heard, which often prompts me to read or watch or listen to something new. I also enjoy it when people riff off of the themers to come up with their own examples. Least favorite are spoilers – for the puzzle or for anything else. I was fortunate to get up at 5am to watch the FWWC final the other day, but if I had not, that spoiler would have ruined my day.”
Yikes! — that was me! On Sunday I posted about Espana and Cupbearer being in the puzzle after the Spain women won the cup not realizing some people might have been trying to avoid the news so they could watch the game later (it was played at 6am, NY time).
So I posted the following:
Oh, no! It was I who thoughtlessly mentioned ESPANA’s victory on Sunday, not thinking it could serve as a spoiler for some. A thousand apologies. Thanks for mentioning it @kitshef so I can be more careful.
Today’s poem from the Poetry Foundation is “Sympathetic Magpies” by James Harris.
There is an old Chinese legend
About a weaving girl and a cowherd
Falling in love and being punished
By Heaven because she was celestial
And he was a mere mortal
Heaven only allowed them to meet
Once a year
On the seventh day
Of the seventh month
The magpies were so sympathetic
Each year
On that day
They made themselves
Into a bridge
Stretching across the Milky Way
So the lovers could kiss
Poems are sympathetic magpies
Bridges between lovers
Bridges between selves
Bridges between worlds
It was selected because today is Qixi, also known as Qiqiao, a Chinese festival of romance dating to the Han dynasty. The customs of the festival celebrate the meeting of the lovers Zhinü and Niulang in Chinese mythology.
The clue at 11D today was “Illuminated from behind,” for REARLIT. Joe Dipinto said: REAR LIT is a writing genre wherein descriptions of the characters’ butts drives the story line.
If you want something less silly [I don’t], at 6D the clue was “Tanned and then some,” and the answer was SUNBURNT. There was some carping over whether it should be “sunburned,” and then Anonymous shared this from Keats, Ode to a Nightingale.
O, for a draught of vintage! that hath been
Cool’d a long age in the deep-delved earth,
Tasting of Flora and the country green,
Dance, and Provençal song, and sunburnt mirth!
The Gnats will be buzzing around Yankee Stadium tonight — it’s rare that the teams meet. Jedidiah Gray is pitching for DC and Carlos Rodon for the Bombers. Beautiful night for a game.
The answer to yesterday’s quick quiz: Who said “Pays to buy the best,” and where? It was Ralph Kramden in The Honeymooners. He and Alice were hiring a maid from an agency, and Ralph brought a cigar to smoke, pretending to be a big shot. He took one puff and immediately started coughing his guts out. When he finally stopped, he looked admiringly at the cigar and said “Pays to buy the best.”
And who are we to quibble?
See you tomorrow!
The Wellington Files 