There was a Doberman in yesterday’s puzzle so Rex played a song called “I Mock Joggers” by Big Special because of the picture on it, see below.
The clue for Doberman was “Breed once known as the ‘Tax Collector’s Dog,’” which was news to me. Here are the opening lyrics to the song:
I mock joggers coz I’m insecure about me weight
I should be out runnin but I’m always runnin away or runnin late.
Here — have a listen.
This explanation is from Wikipedia:
Dobermanns were first bred in the 1880s by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a tax collector who ran a dog pound in Apolda, in Thuringia in central Germany. With access to dogs of many breeds, he got the idea to create a breed that would be ideal for protecting him from disgruntled taxpayers. He set out to breed a new type of dog that would exhibit impressive stamina, strength, and intelligence.
Speaking of tax collectors, in the mid-1980s, Britain enacted a 95% “supertax” on some of its wealthiest citizens, including The Beatles. They responded with their song “Taxman” which includes the line: “Should 5% appear too small, be thankful I don’t take it all.” And “one for you, nineteen for me.”
Recently, we discussed the position taken by the NYTXW that olives are a “divisive” pizza topping. Rex maintained anchovies were divisive, and Owl Chatter agrees, but questioned whether any other topping could be controversial enough to qualify as divisive.
Commenter Mack posted this: OLIVES are absolutely divisive toppings on pizza. It’s one of those ingredients that oblivious people include on everything they order, assuming everyone eats them. Ditto mushrooms and pineapple. I once had a grandparent order about eight pizzas for a family party, all of which had mushrooms. She was confused when none of the children wanted to eat any. They’re kids! No kids like mushrooms.
Several commenters opined that pineapple qualifies as divisive. I would agree with that, if they pass the hurdle of being considered a topping at all. They seem a little specialized to me. They are often accompanied by ham. This one looks good, I have to admit. An outstanding crust makes up for most deficiencies.
And then there was this: EVERYTHING about pizza is divisive! Thin crust vs thick. NY vs Chicago (I prefer the square Detroit style from my childhood.) Haters gonna hate the frou frou Cali style with artichokes, and asparagus. There’s the never pineapple crowd, and those that can’t stand mushrooms. Whether you pick it up with your hands or eat with a fork and knife. And the dreaded sardine! I have a friend who makes it with brie, caramelized onions, and orange marmalade. So the clue could have really gone anywhere.
Finally, Gill wrote: I don’t eat pizza and I found this crazy hard.
Did you know that, according to the NYTXW, MOIST is the “adjective that’s been called ‘one of the most hated words in the English language?’” I had no idea. What’s so bad about it? Well, we took a look at this article: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/64984/science-behind-why-people-hate-word-moist
It says that when The New Yorker asked readers to nominate a word to scrub from the English language in 2012, the overwhelming consensus was to ditch moist. And a Buzzfeed post on the topic got over 4 million hits.
Researchers found that around 20% of the population studied was averse to the word, but that it didn’t have anything to do with the way it sounds. Rather, it’s the association with bodily functions that seems to turn most people off. It seems to be associated with sex. It’s less hated when associated with food. Although a Rex commenter said that some food companies are starting to avoid the word, describing a cake, e.g., as “plush.”
People magazine tried to rescue moist via a video in which their “sexiest men alive” say “moist” — trying to make it sound hot. It does not seem to have worked. On the other hand, it’s probably for the best that they didn’t try that stunt with sexy women — half the men in the country would have a stroke.
And what the hell is this about?
Yesterday, for the clue “Les _____,” the answer was MIZ. There was a bit of a flap over whether it should be MIS, not MIZ. One cheeky bloke ranted: It might be culturally correct in the US, but not in the rest of the world that knows how to spell… I’ve certainly never seen it spelled like that in the UK, and I’ve seen the show dozens of times as a close friend played Valjeans in the west end (albeit as understudy and in matinees). Terrible clue. Just wrong 🤷♂️
But this fellow set him straight, IMO: The last time I checked, the US is not part of the UK. In THIS country LES MIZ is perfectly acceptable. Nothing wrong with the answer. Every country has its idiosyncrasies. By the same logic, the English pronunciation of valet , accent on the first syllable and the second syllable ending with a T sound is also wrong. That’s the way language is, especially when you borrow a word from another language.
Hrrrumph!
Here’z a very pretty mizz from the cazt.
From the sublime to the disgusting. Here’s a note from the Owl Chatter You-Can’t-Make-This-Stuff-Up Department, Trump division.
Speaking last night at an event hosted by the Christian organization Turning Point Action in Florida, Trump said, “Christians, get out and vote, just this time. You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what, it will be fixed, it will be fine, you won’t have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians.”
“I love you Christians. I’m a Christian. I love you, get out, you gotta get out and vote. In four years, you don’t have to vote again, we’ll have it fixed so good you’re not going to have to vote,” Trump said.
I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something about that seems a bit jarring, no?
He also called Harris a bum and said she doesn’t like Jews. I am not kidding. Who’s briefing him? Has no one told him about the husband? Here he is wearing a yarmulke and lighting a menorah.
For the clue “Letters of coverage,” the answer was SPF. One commenter said she never heard of it and received the reply: You’ve never heard of SPF? Do you only go outside at night?
Here’s sunburnt Barbie.
This is important: At 44A, the clue was “Birds that can emit a ‘teakettle, teakettle, teakettle’ call” and the answer was WRENS. But kitshef says: Most WRENS don’t sound anything like teakettle-teakettle-teakettle. It’s just Carolina wrens, and really they sound more like trubily-trubily-trubily.
Here — you decide. It just sounds like birds to me.
At 2D the clue was “Hung tough” and the answer was PERSISTED. I suggested a better clue would have been “What McConnell said Warren did.”
Here’s Mitch now on the vice presidency.
To honor the memory of Abdul “Duke” Fakir, the last member of the original Four Tops to pass away, here’s one of their classics. Fakir died in Detroit at the age of 88. He’s holding his lifetime achievement Grammy in this shot. Well-earned.
He is survived by his wife, of 50 years; six of his children, a sister, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He never tired of singing the old hits. He toured until late last year. Rest in peace.
See you tomorrow!
The Wellington Files 