by multipleciduers

Saturday Morning OYs – June 29th, 2024

And I still maintain that the ugly Internet phenomenon of “trolling” started being called that from a metaphor on the fishing practice (dragging a baited hook behind a quiet small boat), and not the Scandinavian bridge-dwelling threateners.

Are we done with Bizarro for this post? Never say so!

I was preparing to protest that the expression is traditionally “strait and narrow” — which would be preferable despite its redundancy. The pattern of redundancy in rhetorical pairs remains hale and hearty, though some may wish it null and void.

But no! The useful sources recognize only “straight and narrow”, with just a nod to the echoes of “strait”. Here’s Etymonline f’ristance [in entry for straight (adj.2) = “conventional,” especially “heterosexual,” 1941]:

probably suggested by the stock phrase straight and narrow path or way, “course of conventional morality and law-abiding behavior” (by 1842), which is based on a misreading of Matthew vii.14 (where the gate is actually strait); another influence seems to be strait-laced.

No, let’s not get started on straight-jacket!

Et tu, Jeremy?

by zbicyclist

60 Years Ago in The New Yorker

This one’s not a mystery. It’s just a reminder that being replaced by machines, especially computers, is not new at all. And not unrealistic at all.

What’s the hat got to do with it? The hat is the punch line; otherwise it’s just two thugs.

Mirages? I note in passing that styles in swimsuits haven’t changed all that much in 60 years. This song is just a handful of years earlier.

by zbicyclist

Celibate Good Times, Come On!

Usual John sends this one in.

Celibacy and chastity are often confused. Celibacy means not getting married, although it is often extended to not having sex. Chastity means not having sex, or not having sex outside of marriage.

Regardless of definitional issues, this doesn’t seem to make sense. IIRC, Maude and Jake are long term partners in B.C.’s world. And who’s getting redeemed?

by multipleciduers

Sunday Funnies – LOLs, June 23rd, 2024

Nice variation on a standard cat-behavior joke. (Do you’all remember Business Cat #1?)

I’d call this Andertoons just about perfect!

Hmm, would it be better if the two ideas in the last panel were reversed? First “wonder why” then “and how”?

Subscribe in the Founding Member tier.

Comics Kingdom is heavily promoting Goomer:

by EditorM

I’m stumped!

Thanks to Tim Harrod for sending this in, and for his comments (below).

“Another baffler from the Hart estate. What has the Wizard done that’s transgressive, that he wouldn’t want to be connected to or blamed for? Does he think lumberjacks will be pissed that he’s slightly undoing their labor? I’m pretty sure they just want the wood.”

by EditorM

No, it’s just wrong!

No, when it comes to the first panel, I can’t even!

A word I was more likely looking for was “elliptical”.

Well, I’m going to call this a colorist’s error (leading to an interpretive crux) …

… with me thinking it should be green like the delivery bag, but squirrel-shaped, to show that McKenzie (the delivery person, a main character of the strip) succeeded in trapping the critter inside. And she is then giving the customer a live animal, plus whatever part of the order remains unconsumed in the bag, plus (uh-oh!) food already eaten by the animal.

But on further look, I was wrong. It is meant to be the squirrel, with face details clearly shown. And a large satisfied tummy. (Where is the bag? Did he eat that too?) Is her comment to the customer meant to imply the customer could force regurgitation (or slice the animal open!?!) and treat the semi-digested food as still good for human consumption? Well, she doesn’t simply think this will fly — some of the patches in the sky are not clouds but anxiety-sweat beads — so I guess she conveys a just-kidding with that. But who knows?