NYT XWord - 7/13/08

I am forced to admit defeat on this week's crossword, but I wish to challenge some of the clues and answers. Some seemed really forced or quite obscure. The puzzle seemed to rely a lot upon answers which weren't actually words (such as lines on a musical staff = EGBDF, kisses on paper = XES, or certain guy, in personals shorthand = SWM). I'm not saying they're not legit, just that I'd like to see real words in the puzzle.

First, the legitimate (from which I learned a few things I didn't know before):
Castle Bravo = H-Test
Penn station inits = LIRR (Long Island Railroad)
Swimmer Diana Nyad
Cambodia's money is called the Riel

Useless modern pop culture references:
1978 album: Q:Are we not men? A: We are Devo!, produced by Brian Eno
The Helen Reddy hit "Delta Dawn"

The questionable:
Although 'ameer' is an acceptable alternate spelling of 'Emir', it feels like a crossword stretch.
"Calls ones own" = Has? (I guess, but sheesh!)
"Stir" = the can (huh? I'm guessing it's referring to prison, but, please: one colloquial word to describe another colloquial phrase that law abiding citizens are unlikely to know?)
"derisive" = sneery (is that really a word?)
"detailed, old style" = itemed (whatever...)
"fully or partially: abbr." = adv (OK, both are adverbs, but that is a lame clue!)


I found another crossword blogger, and he had some of the same issues as me.