No, I think Arlo is being a little more practical than that. I didn’t get it until I looked at the colors that FBS noticed.
Arlo is using an unbelievably complicated (and highly misunderstandable) lead-in simply to prove a non-controversial detail: there is a heck of a lot of airplane exhaust up there. The unstated hypothesis that belongs between the 3rd & 4th panels is: “precipitation returns a lot of that exhaust to ground level“, so the expectation is that the snow used for snow ice cream is probably contaminated to some degree.
This fails on several levels, but let’s ignore the red herrings toward “global warning” and “terrorism” for now. The primary error is that the contamination that occurs at 30000 feet is insignificant when compared to the contamination that occurs at ground level (such as from fireplace chimneys, but most of all from automobiles, not to mention pets and wild animals).
The thing about Arlo and Janis is I *never* understand the logic behind it. Yet when it is explained it’s usually there. And, so far as I can tell, the cartoonist seems to assume the logic will be self-evident. Yet it absolutely never is. That amuses/astonishes me.
So, I’m sure there is a logic to this, but I’m pretty sure it’s not Kilby’s
It’s not 9-11, more airplanes than ever are flying, so there’s more vapor to block the sun, to make it colder below, especially in Alabama, where Jimmi Johnson is, and so most likely Arlo and Janis are. So — more jets make it colder, resulting in snow (or more snow) in Alabama, but if you want to enjoy it and not feel bad about the underlying cause, go for it.
@ maryellenc – As kids we used to call it simply “snow cream”. Chill a bowl by putting it in the freezer, or just leave it outside for a while, and then fill it with fresh, new-fallen snow. If the snow is deep enough, you get better (and cleaner) results by using an intermediate layer (the bottom layer has more atmospheric crud, and the top layer is more likely to be affected by human and/or animal contaminants). Add milk or cream and sugar(*), optionally a few drops of vanilla, and eat it quick, because it melts extremely quickly.
P.S. (*) – Premixing warm milk/cream with the sugar to dissolve it first works a lot better, but then you have to cool the mix back down before pouring it into the snow. This requires more forethought (and patience) than we ever had as kids.
@ Mr. Grumpy – larK’s theory is certainly simpler than mine, but I still think that this strip is fatally damaged by starting it off with the terrorism issue.
The Bobbsey twins (both pairs) when lost out in the snow and hungry used a tin can,snow, and a chocolate bar to make hot chocolate. I have always remembered this recipe just in case I am ever lost in the snow with a candy bar.
Comics I Don't Understand 
Is the snow lemon flavoured, or an airplane special of blue ice raspberry?
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This smells like a global warming is bunk “joke.”
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No, I think Arlo is being a little more practical than that. I didn’t get it until I looked at the colors that FBS noticed.
Arlo is using an unbelievably complicated (and highly misunderstandable) lead-in simply to prove a non-controversial detail: there is a heck of a lot of airplane exhaust up there. The unstated hypothesis that belongs between the 3rd & 4th panels is: “precipitation returns a lot of that exhaust to ground level“, so the expectation is that the snow used for snow ice cream is probably contaminated to some degree.
This fails on several levels, but let’s ignore the red herrings toward “global warning” and “terrorism” for now. The primary error is that the contamination that occurs at 30000 feet is insignificant when compared to the contamination that occurs at ground level (such as from fireplace chimneys, but most of all from automobiles, not to mention pets and wild animals).
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What the heck is snow ice cream?
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Oh! I thought it was just that Arlo was saying that the BIG evil, global warming, overshadows the tiny evil of eating snow off the ground.
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The thing about Arlo and Janis is I *never* understand the logic behind it. Yet when it is explained it’s usually there. And, so far as I can tell, the cartoonist seems to assume the logic will be self-evident. Yet it absolutely never is. That amuses/astonishes me.
So, I’m sure there is a logic to this, but I’m pretty sure it’s not Kilby’s
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@maryellne, snow ice cream is made with fresh, clean snow mixed with a little milk and sugar. Sometimes fruit or vanilla is added.
@kilby, thanks for the explanation. I was clueless on this one.
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It’s not 9-11, more airplanes than ever are flying, so there’s more vapor to block the sun, to make it colder below, especially in Alabama, where Jimmi Johnson is, and so most likely Arlo and Janis are. So — more jets make it colder, resulting in snow (or more snow) in Alabama, but if you want to enjoy it and not feel bad about the underlying cause, go for it.
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Sometimes snow on the ground is just snow on the ground.
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@ maryellenc – As kids we used to call it simply “snow cream”. Chill a bowl by putting it in the freezer, or just leave it outside for a while, and then fill it with fresh, new-fallen snow. If the snow is deep enough, you get better (and cleaner) results by using an intermediate layer (the bottom layer has more atmospheric crud, and the top layer is more likely to be affected by human and/or animal contaminants). Add milk or cream and sugar(*), optionally a few drops of vanilla, and eat it quick, because it melts extremely quickly.
P.S. (*) – Premixing warm milk/cream with the sugar to dissolve it first works a lot better, but then you have to cool the mix back down before pouring it into the snow. This requires more forethought (and patience) than we ever had as kids.
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I think larK nailed it.
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Other variants of eating snow involve flavored syrup. I hear maple syrup works well with snow.
Just don’t eat the yellow snow…
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@ Mr. Grumpy – larK’s theory is certainly simpler than mine, but I still think that this strip is fatally damaged by starting it off with the terrorism issue.
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Sugar on Snow is a thing in Vermont — during syrup season, you gather snow, pour new maple syrup on it, serve with a pickle to cut the sweetness.
http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/04/sugar-on-snow-maple-syrup-on-real-snow-vermont-harlows-sugar-house.html
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The Bobbsey twins (both pairs) when lost out in the snow and hungry used a tin can,snow, and a chocolate bar to make hot chocolate. I have always remembered this recipe just in case I am ever lost in the snow with a candy bar.
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