Daily Beast, 12/4/09

"Climate Changes" by Matt Gaffney
Time - 12:42

Everybody likes to talk about the weather, and today Matt has it all backward. Weird weather has reversed things all over the puzzle. Let’s blame it on 98D: [Climate change champion] – AL GORE.
23A: [What July is, to many students?] – TOO COOL WARM FOR SCHOOL
41A: [Headline about comic Billy’s poor memory?] – CRYSTAL CLEAR CLOUDY
58A: [Like irritated Icelanders?] – HOT COLD AND BOTHERED.
86A: [Creedence Clearwater Revival classic about SPF?] – WHO’LL STOP THE RAIN SUN. Better pack the sunscreen. Shouldn’t that be Creedence Cloudywater Revival.
98A: [Ben Stiller movie about mighty Inuit warriors?] – TROPIC ARCTIC THUNDER
120A: [Eugene O’Neill play about insomnia?] – THE ICESANDMAN COMETH. Is sand the opposite of ice? Hockey vs. volleyball?
21A: [Solo song] – ARIA.
26A: [Poetry contest] – SLAM. I didn’t know poetry was a full contact sport. Will this catch on at crossword puzzle tournaments. Look out for that flying pencil!
27A: [Mr. Nahasapeemapetilon] – APU. Let’s see this clue in reverse.
28A: [Mr. Kotter] – GABE.
34A: [Scientist with a unit of capacitance named for him] – FARADAY. Don’t you wish someone would name a unit of capacitance after you? Orange has a fruit and a colour named after her.
63A: [Thompson’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” partner] – ACOSTA. Am I dumb or is this obscure?
80A: [Marathoner’s need] – WATER. Non-marathoners also need it.
102A: [President after Fillmore] – PIERCE. He must be the least remembered president.
106A: [“Titanic” actor] – LEO. Had to search for Canadian content this week.
119A: [Sheriff Taylor’s son] – OPIE.
128A: [Robot maid on “The Jetsons”] – ROSIE crossing 124D: [“Little ol’ me?”] – MOI. Today’s question: Who would win in a fight between Rosie and Miss Piggy?
2D: [Kept playing over and over] – LOOPED. Also can happen in badly written computer programs. Also can happen in badly written computer programs. Also can happen in badly written computer programs. Also can happen in badly written computer programs.
31D: [White House party crasher Michaele or Tareq] – SALAHI. This clue will self-destruct after 15 minutes of fame.
33D: [“Heavens to Murgatroyd!”] – YE GODS.
37D: [Human fallibility, with “the”] – OLD ADAM. Huh??? Dictionary? The old Adam, the natural tendency toward sin: He attributed his wild outburst to the old Adam in him.
50D: [Clapton classic] –COCAINE.
101D: [“99 Luftballons” singer] – NENA.

I’ll be on holiday next week, leaving the warm weather of Canada for the coolness of Florida. There will be an extra-special super-secret guest-guest blogger to take care of you. Bye!