"Stress Test" - July 3, 2020

A place to discuss the weekly Wall Street Journal Crossword Puzzle Contest, starting every Thursday around 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Please do not post any answers or hints before the contest deadline which is midnight Sunday Eastern time.
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DrTom
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#421

Post by DrTom »

Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 9:20 pm
hcbirker wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 8:23 pm
LadyBird wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 5:58 pm Okay--now I have to add my raptor picture! On Mondays, I volunteer at a wildlife hospital and rehabilitation center. I brought lunch--11 mice (already dead)--to these lovely American Kestrels. There were actually 7 in the cage but I couldn't get a picture with all of them in it since they were flying around quite a bit. I'm just glad that I didn't get clipped.
I volunteer at the Los Angeles Zoo and we have a lovely California Condor named Hope who has a bad wing and can’t be released. We use her to teach conservation. I love the raptors!
Then at the opposite end of the spectrum you will appreciate this picture I took several years ago of a Northern Saw Whet Owl weighing in at about 80 (male) to 100 (female) grams - about 2.8 to 3.5 ounces
Bob, what a fantastic picture. I assume you manipulated it to get the black background? Obviously your talents go well beyond cruise director par excellence.
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
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LadyBird
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#422

Post by LadyBird »

DrTom wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 10:52 pm
Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 9:20 pm
hcbirker wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 8:23 pm

I volunteer at the Los Angeles Zoo and we have a lovely California Condor named Hope who has a bad wing and can’t be released. We use her to teach conservation. I love the raptors!
Then at the opposite end of the spectrum you will appreciate this picture I took several years ago of a Northern Saw Whet Owl weighing in at about 80 (male) to 100 (female) grams - about 2.8 to 3.5 ounces
Bob, what a fantastic picture. I assume you manipulated it to get the black background? Obviously your talents go well beyond cruise director par excellence.
You mentioned a weight. Were you helping track/band owls?
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Bob cruise director
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#423

Post by Bob cruise director »

DrTom wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 10:52 pm
Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 9:20 pm
hcbirker wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 8:23 pm

I volunteer at the Los Angeles Zoo and we have a lovely California Condor named Hope who has a bad wing and can’t be released. We use her to teach conservation. I love the raptors!
Then at the opposite end of the spectrum you will appreciate this picture I took several years ago of a Northern Saw Whet Owl weighing in at about 80 (male) to 100 (female) grams - about 2.8 to 3.5 ounces
Bob, what a fantastic picture. I assume you manipulated it to get the black background? Obviously your talents go well beyond cruise director par excellence.
Saw whets only fly at night
That was out of the camera but there is a story behind it
Bob Stevens
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Bob cruise director
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#424

Post by Bob cruise director »

LadyBird wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 10:55 pm
DrTom wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 10:52 pm
Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 9:20 pm

Then at the opposite end of the spectrum you will appreciate this picture I took several years ago of a Northern Saw Whet Owl weighing in at about 80 (male) to 100 (female) grams - about 2.8 to 3.5 ounces
Bob, what a fantastic picture. I assume you manipulated it to get the black background? Obviously your talents go well beyond cruise director par excellence.
You mentioned a weight. Were you helping track/band owls?
For ten years I volunteered in a saw whet owl banding project in MA. That was where the picture was taken as we released an owl.
Bob Stevens
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SewYoung
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#425

Post by SewYoung »

Question for all the bird people out there: There are plenty of birds around the house at the lake. There are feeders there are feeders there that Daddy always kept filled, but I don't fill them since I am usually only up there for 2 - 4 days at a time. I am leaving for there this morning and staying until Sunday. Would filling the feeders when I get there make them mad when I am not there to refill them next week. Would I be better off to just leave them alone.
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LadyBird
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#426

Post by LadyBird »

SewYoung wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 7:06 am Question for all the bird people out there: There are plenty of birds around the house at the lake. There are feeders there are feeders there that Daddy always kept filled, but I don't fill them since I am usually only up there for 2 - 4 days at a time. I am leaving for there this morning and staying until Sunday. Would filling the feeders when I get there make them mad when I am not there to refill them next week. Would I be better off to just leave them alone.
It might take them a little time to figure out that there is now food in the feeders.They are used to looking for a variety of food sources, so that shouldn't be a problem if that source dries up after a week.

Bird feeders are more for our enjoyment of the visiting birds than "keeping them alive" (unless it is a really bitter winter).
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yourpalsal
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#427

Post by yourpalsal »

Greetings, Muggles! Hope to see you later today in our growing zoom room! Attendance has grown from 4 the first week, to 11 the second, to 16 last week. A little earlier today so we have more time before I have to peel off to host my daily show.

Who's coming?

Topic: YourPalSal's Muggle Meetup
Time: Jul 7, 2020 04:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84677885109
Last edited by yourpalsal on Tue Jul 07, 2020 5:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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oldjudge
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#428

Post by oldjudge »

Sal-I see the time has changed. Is that correct?
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DrTom
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#429

Post by DrTom »

Bob cruise director wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 2:07 am
DrTom wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 10:52 pm
Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 9:20 pm

Then at the opposite end of the spectrum you will appreciate this picture I took several years ago of a Northern Saw Whet Owl weighing in at about 80 (male) to 100 (female) grams - about 2.8 to 3.5 ounces
Bob, what a fantastic picture. I assume you manipulated it to get the black background? Obviously your talents go well beyond cruise director par excellence.
Saw whets only fly at night
That was out of the camera but there is a story behind it
Well come on, dish...you know we LOVE stories!
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
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yourpalsal
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#430

Post by yourpalsal »

oldjudge wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 5:01 pm Sal-I see the time has changed. Is that correct?
Yup! Thanks for the question. I updated the post to note that the time has changed.
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DrTom
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#431

Post by DrTom »

yourpalsal wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 4:19 pm Greetings, Muggles! Hope to see you later today in our growing zoom room! Attendance has grown from 4 the first week, to 11 the second, to 16 last week. A little earlier today so we have more time before I have to peel off to host my daily show.

Who's coming?

Topic: YourPalSal's Muggle Meetup
Time: Jul 7, 2020 04:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84677885109
Well rats! I'm afraid that the Zoom meeting comes right in the middle of dinner this week. If we are done I may try to hop on near the end, but if I say "Honey we have to hold dinner or have it earlier because I have a Zoom meeting with my Crossword friends" that may just be that proverbial straw and dromedary reference and I HATE sleeping on the couch.
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
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oldjudge
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#432

Post by oldjudge »

LOL, I’m gonna guess that you and that couch are on a first name basis.
MikeMillerwsj
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#433

Post by MikeMillerwsj »

Greetings--we are still waiting to confirm this week's winner, but here's a report on the turnout. We had 1142 entries, about 78% correct (including one who added "mea sulpa"). Our favorite incorrect guess was MUG!, with 43 (including variants, eg COFFEE MUG). 13 get partial credit for DNALSI. Plus 9 for RELIEF, 6 for GOLD STAR, and many others.

Stay tuned...
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hcbirker
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Location: Studio City, CA

#434

Post by hcbirker »

DrTom wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 6:17 pm
yourpalsal wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 4:19 pm Greetings, Muggles! Hope to see you later today in our growing zoom room! Attendance has grown from 4 the first week, to 11 the second, to 16 last week. A little earlier today so we have more time before I have to peel off to host my daily show.

Who's coming?

Topic: YourPalSal's Muggle Meetup
Time: Jul 7, 2020 04:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84677885109
Well rats! I'm afraid that the Zoom meeting comes right in the middle of dinner this week. If we are done I may try to hop on near the end, but if I say "Honey we have to hold dinner or have it earlier because I have a Zoom meeting with my Crossword friends" that may just be that proverbial straw and dromedary reference and I HATE sleeping on the couch.
I'm the provider of dinner in my household, and the last few weeks I have made sure it's ready to cook quickly at the end of our meeting. :D
Heidi
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Bob cruise director
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#435

Post by Bob cruise director »

MikeMillerwsj wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 6:41 pm Greetings--we are still waiting to confirm this week's winner, but here's a report on the turnout. We had 1142 entries, about 78% correct (including one who added "mea sulpa"). Our favorite incorrect guess was MUG!, with 43 (including variants, eg COFFEE MUG). 13 get partial credit for DNALSI. Plus 9 for RELIEF, 6 for GOLD STAR, and many others.

Stay tuned...
In the category of useless information

Since April 29, 2016 (when we have records), there has been 241,112 submissions of which 189,737 have been correct for a weighted average of 79%.

Hey, since there is no baseball season, what else do we have to apply analytics to. Next we will calculate WAR for each of us.
Bob Stevens
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CPJohnson
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#436

Post by CPJohnson »

Bob cruise director wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 6:55 pm
MikeMillerwsj wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 6:41 pm Greetings--we are still waiting to confirm this week's winner, but here's a report on the turnout. We had 1142 entries, about 78% correct (including one who added "mea sulpa"). Our favorite incorrect guess was MUG!, with 43 (including variants, eg COFFEE MUG). 13 get partial credit for DNALSI. Plus 9 for RELIEF, 6 for GOLD STAR, and many others.

Stay tuned...
In the category of useless information

Since April 29, 2016 (when we have records), there has been 241,112 submissions of which 189,737 have been correct for a weighted average of 79%.

Hey, since there is no baseball season, what else do we have to apply analytics to. Next we will calculate WAR for each of us.
WAR?
Cynthia
tori.l
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 12:28 pm

#437

Post by tori.l »

MikeMillerwsj wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 6:41 pm Greetings--we are still waiting to confirm this week's winner, but here's a report on the turnout. We had 1142 entries, about 78% correct (including one who added "mea sulpa"). Our favorite incorrect guess was MUG!, with 43 (including variants, eg COFFEE MUG). 13 get partial credit for DNALSI. Plus 9 for RELIEF, 6 for GOLD STAR, and many others.

Stay tuned...
Out of curiosity, how do you handle spelling/punctuation variation? For instance, this week I entered "A+" as my answer instead of A-PLUS. I assume you use a computer program to sift through the submissions.
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TPS
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#438

Post by TPS »

CPJohnson wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 7:02 pm WAR?
Wins Above Replacement - It’s an analytic sports statistic that was first used in baseball to essentially show how much better or worse a player is than the mean player.
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Abide
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#439

Post by Abide »

Hmm, I just realized I missed this one. 😦 I had an error in the grid and my backwards answer was ATLUS, which I took to mean you needed an atlas to confirm that island didn’t exist.
The site is just a web page, a meeting place, a clubhouse - it's the group that's special.
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flyingMoose
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#440

Post by flyingMoose »

Bob cruise director wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 6:55 pm Next we will calculate WAR for each of us.
What about those of us (namely, me) who are still in Short Season A-Ball? I would hate to see how negative my WAR is.
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