December 17, 2023

Title: COME INSIDE

Constructors: Willa Angel Chen Miller & Matthew Stock

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Theme Answers:

CHICO MENDES (20A: Environmentalist who fought to preserve the Amazon)

TACO MEAT (34A: Lengua or carne asada, eg.e)

COSTCO MEMBER (52A: Shopper enjoying bulk discounts and free samples)

Theme synopsis: The word COME is found INSIDE each theme answer.

Things I learned:

• CHICO MENDES (20A: Environmentalist who fought to preserve the Amazon) CHICO MENDES (1944-1988) was a trade union leader and environmentalist. In addition to fighting for the preservation of the Amazon rainforest, CHICO MENDES also advocated for rural workers and indigenous peoples in Brazil. CHICO MENDES was a rubber tapper. Rubber tapping is a sustainable process for extracting latex from trees; it does not require the trees to be cut down. CHICO MENDES advocated for the establishment of reserves that would allow the sustainable harvest of rubber, as well as nuts and other products, and protect trees from logging and deforestation efforts led by some landowners. CHICO MENDES was assassinated in 1988 by the son of a rancher who was opposed to his activism.
• ACRE (35D: Unit in some Redfin listings) Redfin is a real estate brokerage headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The company has a real estate website, whose listings describe lot size in ACREs.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• ART (13A: Lee Krasner's field) I learned about the abstract expressionist painter, Lee Krasner (1908-1984) from the January 15, 2021 puzzle. Lee Krasner was known for her abstract ART, which includes painting and collage. She sometimes tore up paintings and drawings (her own and those of her husband, Jackson Pollack) to use them for collage.
• EMCEE (15A: Rakim, for example) The word EMCEE can be used to refer to a master of ceremonies, or to refer to a rap artist. It is the second usage that is relative here. The rapper Rakim was half of the hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, whom I have written about previously. Since the duo's dissolution, Rakim has had a solo career. 
• TACO MEAT (34A: Lengua or carne asada, eg.e) Lengua is beef tongue, which is sometimes used as TACO MEAT. I have previously written about TACOs de lengua, also known as beef tongue tacos. Carne asada is TACO MEAT made of barbecued or grilled meat, usually beef.
• COSTCO MEMBER (52A: Shopper enjoying bulk discounts and free samples) COSTCO is a wholesale retailer whose stores are located in warehouses, and requires customers to be MEMBERs in order to shop there. COSTCO was founded in 1983 in Seattle, Washington. The company now has over 850 stores, located worldwide. COSTCO is an interesting place. You can get some great deals there, but you may need to purchase 18 boxes of Kleenex at a time in order to take advantage of the savings. I am a COSTCO MEMBER, but I try to only shop there three or four times a year. I was just discussing COSTCO with a friend a couple of days ago. I said, "COSTCO is one of those places that you walk into and spend $200, no matter what is on your list."
• OTTERS (3D: Animals that sometimes hold hands while sleeping) Not only is this a fun animal fact, it is also an absolutely adorable one! OTTERS hold hands while sleeping in order to prevent them from drifting away from each other. This behavior is known as rafting. The proximity of the OTTERS also serves to retain body heat.
• ACID RAIN (10D: Precipitation caused by pollution) ACID RAIN refers to precipitation that is unusually acidic due to elevated levels of hydrogen ions. ACID RAIN is caused by increased atmospheric levels of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, and can have harmful effects on plants and animals.
• OAK (32D: Tree associated with Zeus) In Greek mythology, Zeus is the god of the sky and thunder. The OAK tree is one of the symbols associated with Zeus, along with the thunderbolt, eagle, and bull. Zeus was considered the most powerful god, and the size, strength, and longevity of OAK trees became a symbol for his power.
• CODA (36D: 2021 film about a hearing daughter of deaf parents) The movie CODA, stars Emilia Jones as Ruby Rossi, a hearing "child of deaf adults" (CODA). I have previously written about CODA.
• LEBRON (45D: Basketball's "King James") LEBRON James currently plays basketball for NBA's Los Angeles Lakers. Widely regarded as one of the best basketball players of all time, he has earned the nickname, "King James."

Geography review:

• OREGON (2D: "Portlandia" setting) Portlandia is a TV series whose eight seasons originally aired from 2011-2018. The show stars Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, and features comedy sketches set in Portland, OREGON. The show is a parody of life in Portland, and pokes fun of the city's reputation as a haven for eccentric characters.

From today's title, COME INSIDE, I was immediately able to guess that the theme answers would contain the word COME. It's quite satisfying to correctly guess the theme mechanism before solving. I enjoyed learning about CHICO MENDES today, and his work in the Amazon. Deforestation of the Amazon, which is the world's largest rainforest, is a major concern. Thank you, Willa and Matthew, for this puzzle that was a great way to start my Sunday.