Peanuts by Charles Schulz for May 06, 2014

Wasn’t his brother Spike a poor blighter?

I know too many of them.

What’s a blighter?

blighter |ˈblītər|noun [with adj. ] Brit., informala person who is regarded with contempt, irritation, or pity : you little blighter!ORIGIN early 19th cent.: from blight + -er 1 .

Here’s the Oxford Dictionary definition of blighter:

(British) A person who is regarded with contempt, irritation, or pity: “you little blighter!”

In the context of todays strip, regard with pity.Slogging through mud filled trenches will ruin almost anybody’s day.

With the centennial of the beginning of WW I coming up this year (free plug: the Liberty Memorial and Museum here in Kansas City is the nation’s official WW I Memorial), it would be nice to see a complete collection of Flying Ace episodes. I wonder if whoever is running Schulz, Inc. these days has any plans for that?

Zooming through the air at 108 miles per hour.

Remember, Snoopy, if you are receiving fire and you can’t see who it is coming from, shoot the sun!

Snoopy’s imagination can be confusing!

Keep an eye out for the Red Baron, Ace.

One day you’ll get your chance.

xxx

It’s interesting to read this strip in the middle of following the current season of “Mr. Selfridge.”

How come nobody asked “What’s a Sopwith Camel” ?

And yet the English proudly refer to their country as “Old Blighty.” I don’t think the dictionaries are getting the whole story.

Don’t forget the tapioca pudding.