lunchtime reading

[jenk]

A review of the movie Wordplay mentions the Election Day 1996 puzzle that

featured as clue 39-Across "Lead story in tomorrow's newspaper." Creator Jeremiah Farrell had constructed the puzzle so that either "BOB DOLE ELECTED" or "CLINTON ELECTED" would fit. This meant crafting clues that could have two correct answers; i.e. 39-Down, "Black Halloween animal," could be either "BAT" or "CAT."

More info is here - and yes, it's cool :) Meanwhile in the WSJ,

Low-hanging baggy pants have been a fashion statement for young men for more than a decade, inspired by the advent of beltless prison jeans, says Andy Gilchrist, a California fashion consultant who has written a book on men's clothes. Over time, the tough-guy image associated with oversized trousers helped make the look standard for hip-hop performers, alternative music bands, skateboarders and snowboarders as it migrated from mostly black city streets to affluent white suburbs.

Just about every other week, Jim Matheny, a 41-year-old police lieutenant in Stamford, Conn., says he gets into foot chases with youths. He says it's getting easier to capture them because they can't run fast or far in those loose jeans.

"When I catch them, I tell them they'd do much better if they had pants that fit," says Lt. Matheny, who says he has had to help hold up the pants of his suspects while patting them down to search for drugs or weapons. "It's like: 'Hey dude, buy a belt and save yourself some trouble.' "

The story cites 5 specific incidents of baggy pants causing problems, including one man who caught his pants on a fence he was trying to climb. "He was found dangling upside down, his pants at his ankles and tangled in the fence." And from today's Crickler (24 handicap):

McDonald's and China Petroleum and Chemical, or Sinopec, announced an alliance to build drive-through McDonald's at service stations throughout China.

So, which is tastier: 7-11 burgers or McD's?