There’s three levers. One gives you ice. One gives you water. And one gives you killer bees. Tommy can’t ever remember the order so he frequently gets killer bees when he wants water.
Presumably there are times when he wished to get stung by killer bees and presses the water lever instead. Or maybe Tommy is one of the few employees who doesn’t like being stung by killer bees. Perhaps the office managers should take a poll and see how many employees like what and stock accordingly.
Now that I think about it I don’t know that many people who like being stung by killer bees. Perhaps offices shouldn’t stock them as often as they do. Hmmm, come to think of it must offices I’ve experienced don’t stock killer bees. I suppose if I worked at an office that stocked killer bees, I’d have to be careful to remember which lever to push. I’m sure my coworkers would get tired of constantly reminding me.
I mostly like where Woozy is going with it, but I assumed it was a kid and Mom.
The kind of thing that might have been funny if Gary Larson hadn’t already done it (better) 30 years or more ago.
I think Woozy has it. And Folly’s observation about it being about mother & son is correct, as well.
But when I first read it, I thought it was about the mother trying to teach her child that “ice goes in first, then water, or else you’ll get a big mess.” And the joke is that that mess is not in the form of water splashed all over the floor, but as killer bees.
So if you do “water… (then) crushed ice… (then you’ll get) killer bees.”
But since there are, after all, three dispensers, I’m inclined to think that Woozy’s interpretation is the correct one.
This is why I keep a pitcher of water in my refrigerator instead of using the dispenser in the door.
When I bought my new fridge I refused to pay extra for the killer bees. Just a cheapskate, I guess.
I stayed with a friend in California for a few days about 20n years ago, during which he hosted some sort of small party, and I was deputed to hand round drinks. I put ice in them using the fridge dispenser, a minor novelty for me (from the UK). It was only after giving out a few that I noticed the ice device was also dispensing ants! So I had to go round collecting drinks.
20, not 20n
“When I bought my new fridge I refused to pay extra for the killer bees. Just a cheapskate, I guess.”
Yeah, the extra charge for killer bees is not worth it, especially now that “seriously wounding” bees are pretty much standard equipment on new refrigerators. (For the rare occasions when you *really* want to have “killer” bees, just supply the “seriously wounding bees” with little hand grenades or chainsaws).
This has been another money-saving tip from notorous Plugger grump and penny-pincher, Shrug. Collect them all!
Thanks for sharing your story with us, narmitaj!🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜
“20, not 20n”
For all n ~ 1.
narmitaj: A quick web search shows it’s apparently now fashionable to serve cocktails with ice cubes containing ants.
With regards to the comic, it’s a common trope to have a list of mundane items followed by a nonsensical, inappropriate one.
The callous depiction of maternal sadism in this strip makes me wonder what kind of childhood the cartoonist might have had.
P.S. There’s a gag in “Monsters vs. Aliens” in which the president’s command bunker has two identical red buttons. The first one launched a nuclear strike, the second was for a cup of coffee.
Well, the killer ants are important if one’s house is attacked – just push the killer ants dispenser and run – let them get the bad guys.
So that’s why the refrigerator is making that buzzing sound…
But seriously, those fridges are a disaster waiting to happen. WHEN the water supply line fails (and it is WHEN, not if), it will destroy your kitchen and whatever is underneath it. I’d never have one in my home.
At the recommendation of the hardware store, I used a braided-steel supply line. The likelihood of it failing aren’t great. I used a similar line for the dishwasher rather than the plastic one that came with it.
“WHEN the water supply line fails (and it is WHEN, not if), it will destroy your kitchen and whatever is underneath it. I’d never have one in my home.”
So you get a basic fridge that just keeps things cold, and somehow when that water supply line fails, it WON”T destroy your kitchen and whatever is underneath it?
I’d think leaving that line NOT connected to a fridge, with the water just running out the end, would be worse…
Don’t forget the other problem with ice makers:
“WHEN the water supply line fails (and it is WHEN, not if), it will destroy your kitchen and whatever is underneath it. I’d never have one in my home.”
Guess what. The same thing happens when your toilet supply line corrodes and breaks off.
I still have an indoor toilet. I guess I’m a very forgiving sort of guy.
Guess what Mark in Boston? I’m well aware. A few years as an insurance claims adjuster has taught me that every piece of plumbing is a ticking time bomb. A toilet is a necessary risk, but fridges with water and dishwashers are huge risks. I also consider the new construction trend of putting laundry room on the second floor of the house, where it will damage three levels of the house when it fails a bad idea.
” I also consider the new construction trend of putting laundry room on the second floor of the house”
My daughter moved into a brand-new “luxury” off-campus student community. It had some nice amenities… like laundry right in the units. You’ve guessed where I’m going with this. The laundry facilities in her unit were installed incorrectly, and they got water running out of the downstairs light fixtures.
The had to come back, demolish part of the 1st-floor ceiling, fix the plumbing, redo the ceiling and repaint the walls.
Then, at the end of the year, they tried to keep her damage deposit.
“WHEN the water supply line fails (and it is WHEN, not if), it will destroy your kitchen and whatever is underneath it. I’d never have one in my home”
My kitchen and basement now look somewhat worse than Dresden. Three guesses why.
@ Bill – You had Kurt Vonnegut and Billy Pilgrim as house guests?
Because your kitchen and basement didn’t qualify for Marshall Plan funds to rebuild? (Actually, Dresden didn’t get those, either…)
Because your basement and kitchen didn’t reunify with West Germany?
@CIDU Bill. Fridge water line? Did it just happen? That would make it synchronicity.
Water running out of the light fixtures. Obligatory Three Stooges clip featuring Dudley Dickerson:
Husband’s big water panic is the water lines to the clothes washer and basement sink in winter. The lines are attached to the basement wall with no space behind them to put any insulation. He is positive that they will freeze and in winter when it is cold enough outside for freezing pipes, we leave an electric heater near them to keep them freezing.
| had the idea to have shut offs put on these 2 lines (hot and cold) and then in winter we can shut off the water where it is still further in to the room and open the sink taps and let all the water in the lines run out. $350 each for the shut offs? I can live climbing over the electric heater.
I know we winterize the RV to prevent freezing of pipes and valves, and still we have had 2 valves near the hot water heater freeze over the winter (2 different winters). We now put insulation on the valve in fall to help prevent this after the rest of the winterizing.
Comics I Don't Understand 
There’s three levers. One gives you ice. One gives you water. And one gives you killer bees. Tommy can’t ever remember the order so he frequently gets killer bees when he wants water.
Presumably there are times when he wished to get stung by killer bees and presses the water lever instead. Or maybe Tommy is one of the few employees who doesn’t like being stung by killer bees. Perhaps the office managers should take a poll and see how many employees like what and stock accordingly.
Now that I think about it I don’t know that many people who like being stung by killer bees. Perhaps offices shouldn’t stock them as often as they do. Hmmm, come to think of it must offices I’ve experienced don’t stock killer bees. I suppose if I worked at an office that stocked killer bees, I’d have to be careful to remember which lever to push. I’m sure my coworkers would get tired of constantly reminding me.
I mostly like where Woozy is going with it, but I assumed it was a kid and Mom.
The kind of thing that might have been funny if Gary Larson hadn’t already done it (better) 30 years or more ago.
I think Woozy has it. And Folly’s observation about it being about mother & son is correct, as well.
But when I first read it, I thought it was about the mother trying to teach her child that “ice goes in first, then water, or else you’ll get a big mess.” And the joke is that that mess is not in the form of water splashed all over the floor, but as killer bees.
So if you do “water… (then) crushed ice… (then you’ll get) killer bees.”
But since there are, after all, three dispensers, I’m inclined to think that Woozy’s interpretation is the correct one.
This is why I keep a pitcher of water in my refrigerator instead of using the dispenser in the door.
When I bought my new fridge I refused to pay extra for the killer bees. Just a cheapskate, I guess.
I stayed with a friend in California for a few days about 20n years ago, during which he hosted some sort of small party, and I was deputed to hand round drinks. I put ice in them using the fridge dispenser, a minor novelty for me (from the UK). It was only after giving out a few that I noticed the ice device was also dispensing ants! So I had to go round collecting drinks.
20, not 20n
“When I bought my new fridge I refused to pay extra for the killer bees. Just a cheapskate, I guess.”
Yeah, the extra charge for killer bees is not worth it, especially now that “seriously wounding” bees are pretty much standard equipment on new refrigerators. (For the rare occasions when you *really* want to have “killer” bees, just supply the “seriously wounding bees” with little hand grenades or chainsaws).
This has been another money-saving tip from notorous Plugger grump and penny-pincher, Shrug. Collect them all!
Thanks for sharing your story with us, narmitaj!🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜
“20, not 20n”
For all n ~ 1.
narmitaj: A quick web search shows it’s apparently now fashionable to serve cocktails with ice cubes containing ants.
With regards to the comic, it’s a common trope to have a list of mundane items followed by a nonsensical, inappropriate one.
The callous depiction of maternal sadism in this strip makes me wonder what kind of childhood the cartoonist might have had.
P.S. There’s a gag in “Monsters vs. Aliens” in which the president’s command bunker has two identical red buttons. The first one launched a nuclear strike, the second was for a cup of coffee.
Well, the killer ants are important if one’s house is attacked – just push the killer ants dispenser and run – let them get the bad guys.
I think this National Lampoon cartoon actually pre-dates Gary Laron’s work. Here’s the link (I hope) https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi324S-0qjcAhUFXa0KHcTjC6kQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.co.uk%2Fpin%2F280208408046836988%2F&psig=AOvVaw3nyQKWVg0lWLaJO4YUYTtk&ust=1532003110444253
So that’s why the refrigerator is making that buzzing sound…
But seriously, those fridges are a disaster waiting to happen. WHEN the water supply line fails (and it is WHEN, not if), it will destroy your kitchen and whatever is underneath it. I’d never have one in my home.
At the recommendation of the hardware store, I used a braided-steel supply line. The likelihood of it failing aren’t great. I used a similar line for the dishwasher rather than the plastic one that came with it.
“WHEN the water supply line fails (and it is WHEN, not if), it will destroy your kitchen and whatever is underneath it. I’d never have one in my home.”
So you get a basic fridge that just keeps things cold, and somehow when that water supply line fails, it WON”T destroy your kitchen and whatever is underneath it?
I’d think leaving that line NOT connected to a fridge, with the water just running out the end, would be worse…
Don’t forget the other problem with ice makers:
“WHEN the water supply line fails (and it is WHEN, not if), it will destroy your kitchen and whatever is underneath it. I’d never have one in my home.”
Guess what. The same thing happens when your toilet supply line corrodes and breaks off.
I still have an indoor toilet. I guess I’m a very forgiving sort of guy.
Guess what Mark in Boston? I’m well aware. A few years as an insurance claims adjuster has taught me that every piece of plumbing is a ticking time bomb. A toilet is a necessary risk, but fridges with water and dishwashers are huge risks. I also consider the new construction trend of putting laundry room on the second floor of the house, where it will damage three levels of the house when it fails a bad idea.
” I also consider the new construction trend of putting laundry room on the second floor of the house”
My daughter moved into a brand-new “luxury” off-campus student community. It had some nice amenities… like laundry right in the units. You’ve guessed where I’m going with this. The laundry facilities in her unit were installed incorrectly, and they got water running out of the downstairs light fixtures.
The had to come back, demolish part of the 1st-floor ceiling, fix the plumbing, redo the ceiling and repaint the walls.
Then, at the end of the year, they tried to keep her damage deposit.
“WHEN the water supply line fails (and it is WHEN, not if), it will destroy your kitchen and whatever is underneath it. I’d never have one in my home”
My kitchen and basement now look somewhat worse than Dresden. Three guesses why.
@ Bill – You had Kurt Vonnegut and Billy Pilgrim as house guests?
Because your kitchen and basement didn’t qualify for Marshall Plan funds to rebuild? (Actually, Dresden didn’t get those, either…)
Because your basement and kitchen didn’t reunify with West Germany?
@CIDU Bill. Fridge water line? Did it just happen? That would make it synchronicity.
Water running out of the light fixtures. Obligatory Three Stooges clip featuring Dudley Dickerson:
Husband’s big water panic is the water lines to the clothes washer and basement sink in winter. The lines are attached to the basement wall with no space behind them to put any insulation. He is positive that they will freeze and in winter when it is cold enough outside for freezing pipes, we leave an electric heater near them to keep them freezing.
| had the idea to have shut offs put on these 2 lines (hot and cold) and then in winter we can shut off the water where it is still further in to the room and open the sink taps and let all the water in the lines run out. $350 each for the shut offs? I can live climbing over the electric heater.
I know we winterize the RV to prevent freezing of pipes and valves, and still we have had 2 valves near the hot water heater freeze over the winter (2 different winters). We now put insulation on the valve in fall to help prevent this after the rest of the winterizing.