Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for December 08, 2017

Must be class picture day.

That’s exactly what he’s afraid of, Dad.

I think my only class picture taken of me with a tie was my senior one. I believe I haven’t worn a tie more than a dozen times since. Hint: That’s over 50+ years.

This is one of the very best C&H’s. The second panel is truly wonderful.

How many kids’ comic strips nowadays do you think will show someone being hanged?

At six I think all I had was clip-ons.

dark humour today

Not sure this comic strip would fly if it were drawn today.

It is a well-known fact that neckties cut off the oxygen to your brain.

Ah, neckties; invented purely so depressed businessmen who realized how truly joyless their lives are could hang themselves on the spot!

I read somewhere that long ties were worn by the Duke of Windsor (hence the “Windsor knot”) and that he liked them because they covered the shirt buttons. I’ll have to check this.

Never wore ties for work, except interviews. one of the perks of IT.

Ties. Here is my theory on their creation:

Way back in time some guy just royally ticked off his wife. She came up with this idea as the best way to torment the hell out of him and as many other men as possible for eternity. It has been successful.

I too wear ties only when I have to put on a monkey suit for a job interview, which is merciful few times in my life.

“A riot ist an ugly thing…und I think it’s just about time ve had vun!!!!”

In the Jewish religion, one is considered a man after his Bar Mitzvah. We all knew it was really because we were wearing a real tie for the first time.

Back in my youth I had to wear a tie to work. I worked on office machines at the time. I would tuck the tie into my shirt so it didn’t get caught in the machinery. Then I migrated into communications and IT, and haven’t worn one since.

I’m with Calvin!

Reminded me of this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17qyaXOFZXg

When I was in Junior Hi, the boys wore white shirts and ties every Friday. Don’t know when the tradition started or why. But it faded out in the ’70s.

I’m waiting in my cold cell when the bell begins to chime

Reflecting on my past life and it doesn’t have much time

Cause at 5 o’clock, they take me to the Gallows Pole

In the hospital I wore a tie simply to give patients confidence that they were among professionals. There is nothing worse than going to a hospital with a very sick child and seeing the staff, physicians and otherwise, dressed like bums.

And yes, I was in IT.

I was a university professor for twenty years, and then an attorney for another sixteen. I wore a tie every day and didn’t mind it at all. For jury trials I broke out my wild animal ties; it gave me confidence to address the jury with a cheetah peeking out from under my suitcoat. By the way, my first job as an attorney paid better than my salary after 20 years as a professor. Plus I would get a nice bonus if I had a good year. That is truly messed up.

Hangman, hangman, hold it a little while

Think I see my friends coming

Riding a many mile

Friends did you get some silver?

Did you get a little gold?

What did you bring me my dear friends

To keep me from the gallows pole?

What did you bring me to keep me from the gallows pole?

- Made famous by Led Zeppelin (mostly)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17qyaXOFZXg Hector Berlioz, “March to the Scaffold”

Must be time for Christmas pictures.

Ties are that bad, try garter belts.

What does it say about a culture that, in order to be considered “professional”, “responsible”, or “mature” you have to put your neck in a noose…

I wore a tie to work virtually every day except casual Friday. When I transferred to a production plant, every day was casual Friday. The only times since that time I’ve worn ties were at funerals.

And I still prefer having a like icon at the end of the strip so I can just like the strip without having to comment.

The good thing about wearing a tie on a regular basis is that you remember how it works on a special occasion.

I used to go to a restaurant where all the waiters and waitresses wore ties — which they stuffed inside their shirts. Guess that’s observing the letter of the law and not the spirit.

I think I must be the only one here who likes ties.

I like ties, in moderation. They seem to makes casual days much more special.

Where did the “angry throngs” go in the last panel?