Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau for March 12, 2011

The red yo-yo.

Evidently, Jeff’s never exited a bird by fast-roping before.

Orion

Now THAT’s funny! Thanks, GT.

The Red Rascal always bounces back from a disappointment…

Talking about roping a dope.

Why is he yelling “USA! USA!” when he should be yelling “ME AND MINE! ME AND MINE!”

I just gagged on my tea and spit it all over my screen. Too funny! I’m still chuckling over this one.

Good thing he didn’t “SPROING” back into the chopper blades. Then he would realy have been the Red Rascal, or several of them.

Randgrithr, says he should be shouting ‘Me and Mine!’ instead of ‘USA!’

Funny, as far as I can tell that is exactly what is meant by most people when they yell ‘USA’. Ever noticed the congruence between ‘We’re Number One!’ and ‘Looking Out for Number One!’ Selfishness writ large is not patriotism.

Funny how few people in this country get the difference between patriotism - a willingness to sacrifice one’s own personal interests for the good of the nation - and chauvinism - the belief that your nation is better than other nations and is justified in self-righteously lording it over them.

American Exceptionalism is too often just another name for American National Egomania.

“Let’s fire up a fat one and try again, Dawg”.

@dukedoug:

Thanks Mr. Literal…

Very, very well said Doughfoot. Thank you for putting into words thoughts I have not been able to properly verbalize.

Zipper–Another unsung hero in the war against sanity.

I like it!

“I like it!”

“Indiscipline”, King Crimson (1982)

My thanks also, Doughfoot! Just (finally!) getting around to reading The Ugly American.

Jeff’s off to a great start already.

Doughfoot/TexTech - I feel sorry for you two. Most of the folks I know who serve, suppport the USA, are certainly doing it for their country. If they were doing it for “Me and Mine” they’d be making more money. The “Me and Mine” attitude I see daily in the news - Many Congressmen/Senators/Lobbyists/Bankers/Oil Execs. They, btw, are not yelling USA. They could care less.

Well, they are off to a good start!!!! Ha ha

Missing the point; party of one; emory your table is ready!!

Missing the point; party of one; emory your table is ready!!

OMG, I just realized. Laurel and Hardy have been re-incarnated!

Laurel and Hardy have taken over Doonesbury. It’s time for G.T. to appear in his own strip and deliver the coup de grace to this silly pair of clowns. (Maybe he’ll show us that Jeff has dreamt all this stuff in Zipper’s college dorm.)

Emory458, Jeff/Red Rascal is not doing this for his country. He is rescuing a ruthless dictator to pay to debt to a mercenary security contractor who in turn is doing it for a particularly callous Washington lobbyist. For Jeff to wrap that mess in patriotism by chanting “USA, USA!” is bitter parody, but has it nothing to do with those who do serve their country.

And since when did the rascal get to be a “six”?

The Purple Patsy is starting to look more like the Maroon Moron.

Maybe this time the Red Rascal should armour up…

“My bad.” That phrase is so useful in so many situations.

Don’t worry Zip, it could have happened to anyone. Right folks? Right? [crickets]

Well, they have the rapid extraction down/up.

Pbarnrob, I’m a service brat, conceived in Germany, born in VA, by the time I was in the first grade I had spent a 1/3 of my life in Vietnam. (‘59-‘61) and I can remember my parents discussing The Ugly American at the dinner table, and I still remember the “ICA Boys.” When ever we were sationed in a foreign country, my dad always insisted we “live on the economy” as a way getting to know the “locals” better. Before 1st grade, I went to a French/Vietnamese kindergarden. We never lived on a military base, ever.

I’ve found the house we used to live in Dalat on Google maps. It’s the stop & Go Cafe’ now. I’d love to go back to see what the place looks like, a half a century later.

Hey, Emory. My hat is off to all those who, without any thought of pay, career, benefits, or retirement, turn down more lucrative opportunities to serve their country, whether as soldiers, police, social workers, school teachers, or postal clerks. And they are very numerous, I am sure.

I am thinking of those who would not sacrifice anything for the good of their fellow Americans, not even to the extent of paying a little more in taxes, or buying a small efficient car when they want a big one, or taking a bus instead of driving, and yet are quick to fly a flag, make snide remarks about all foreigners, boast of American superiority in all things, and bellow ‘You Ess Ay’ at every opportunity. The love to shout ‘We’re Number One’ but are never willing to lift a finger to make it so.

I am gratified to know that the servicemen and women whom you know are not like that, that they turned down safer and more profitable job offers to do what they do.

One sometimes gets the unfortunately impression that those enlisting now are often doing so out of economic necessity, that they see the military as a career opportunity, rather than a public service.

It is a pity that all those who serve the public do not receive the respect their service merits.

LOL! As a former crew chief, glad to see his luck held and he didn’t end up the “Red Pepperoni”, in the blades, sliced, diced, and served up at Papa John’s.

Now all we need is for him to run into Hillary down there, “dodging bullets on the tarmac”. ;-7

Doughfoot said “One sometimes gets the unfortunately impression that those enlisting now are often doing so out of economic necessity, that they see the military as a career opportunity, rather than a public service.”

Thanks for this, Doughfoot. Although some join out of economic necessity, there are many reasons for joining the service, and I think most people have multiple reasons. I come from a service family, and I wanted to serve my country the way my father and uncles had – but I also wanted the educational benefits of the GI Bill. The woman I met in the Army who became my wife saw the Army as a way of escaping a tough, gang-controlled, inner-city neighborhood, improving herself and making a better life for herself, but her ideals about service were as strong as my own. The idea that the majority of people who serve simply couldn’t find a job on the outside, or joined as a last resort without any motivation other than a job does a disservice to out men and women in uniform.

Rubber ball I come bouncing back to you…

As to serving their country out of patriotism. Great. Hand back the scholarships and disown the free medical care and let us scrap the Vet system and save billions. I might even get my Doc back who signed to work at the VA and make more money and have great retirement recently. Sorry, I do believe ther is some patriotism involved but there are a lot of poor kids who wouldn’t get a degree any other way that are in it, as well. (oh, the Vet system will be here as long a Paul and his fake libertarians are around to help the docs feed off the government.)

emory458 said: ”The “Me and Mine” attitude I see daily in the news - Many congressmen/Senators/Lobbyists/Bankers/Oil Execs. They, btw, are not yelling USA. They could care less.”

Are you kidding? They are waving their flags and harping about flag pins louder than anyone else. They definitely are shouting “USA USA!” It’s a great way to distract your attention from their hands in your wallet.

@Lewreader, sanity and intelligence, that is.

@ Chrisnp and others like you, THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!

two bads make it right

Theresa, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy had one of the closest working relationships in comedy history. Their act was just an act, and the only reason they did it is because it was popular. Laurel’s daughter became frightened of Hardy because he was alway beating up her dad in the movies, so they created one movie when Laurel lost his temper and wiped the floor with Hardy. Today it would be considered one of the funniest movies they ever made but that movie bombed. It was a financial disaster and the public hated it. Neither of them cared since Laurel’s daughter was no longer afraid of Hardy, he became her “uncle” again. When Hardy finally died Stan Laurel spent the next 30 years writing scripts for Laurel and Hardy shows, but never acted again with anyone.

Abbot and Costello broke up because Costello could no longer put up with Abbot’s alcoholism ruining lave performances. I happen to like both teams, but I admire Laurel and Hardy more.

I think Jeff is at the end of his rope with Zip.