Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for August 04, 2024

So who should be the hero; Sherlock Holmes, or Hamburger Helper?

Officer Ollie has egg on his face?

Mr. McDoofus looks pretty skinny, so I can see how the high price of groceries would kill him.

The one big hint being the scene is just outside the Supermarket!Good comic – Yay!!!

Inflation is eevil. Inflation is injurious to health. Inflation kills!

Seems pig and Reverend Spearfish are the only ones that can afford to eat.

With a name like McDoofus, I’m surprised he lived this long.

A dead body has been found on a sidewalk. Beside the body is a pair of sticks in a pool of red liquid. How was the victim killed?

A Slylock Fox spoof!

It’s starting to mimic the Big Bang!

Mr. McDoofus died after hours of unsuccessful attempts to get past reCAPTCHA.

Or McDoofus starved to death trying to make ends meet.

Why does the actual evidence seem to say that inflation is becoming less serious? Is it possible that Pastis is projecting a bit too much from his personal situation? I didn’t think he was just another starving cartoonist, but if he was really concerned about money, then why did he stop practicing law?

(Me? I wouldn’t blame him for not wanting to practice law… I took the LSAT and got a pretty good score—but never felt like applying to any law school. Funny story, but the LSAT was scheduled for the week before the GRE and I took it as a practice test.)

What? No Butler?!

Stephan perhaps a second Inflation Reduction Act is needed ;-)

Here in Germany I can eat very well on less than €100 per month if I cook and don’t go out. That includes mostly organic products and even a couple of bottles of wine. Today I made chicken fajita and refried beans. Enough for 4 portions. Total cost: less than €10. Fo breakfast I had some of the focaccia bread I baked 2 days ago with some english lemon marmalade (I buy that) and Italian espresso. I enjoy cooking. It’s very satisfying and I nice way to wind down from work.

If none of the usual suspects killed him, why did they leave their weapons there?

No candlestick to be found or parlor to be seen?

I’ve suggested to my local grocer that a Defibrillator be installed at the meat counter. There is already one install next to the gas pumps at the Shell station in town.

Whaaaa? In the the soaring economy of Bidenomics???

You want a murder? It was a flock of crows.

I am not able to read upside down. Needing to waste time and ink to print this to get the answer seems a step to far.

The corporations are price gouging and paying their CEO’s too much. Inflation wouldn’t be nearly as high without that going on.

But have you seen the bling those chicks are sporting these days?

Everyone hates inflation.

Want to lower your food bill and eat better? Learn how to grow a garden. Lots of help on YouTube to get started. All your produce can be organic. You’ll lower your consumption of preservatives and pesticides. The fiber provided by your vegetables will be of higher quality. So, after your initial investment, and be very selective about your seed source, you’ll lower your food bill and be eating healthier. But it takes work and consistency. If you can’t stick to it and follow best practices for your grow zone, don’t bother starting.

Hahaha

A dozen eggs were $2.14 at the beginning of July; $3.39 last weekend; and on sale this week for $2.99. Milk just went from $1.99 for a half gallon to $2.04. Grocery chains are nickel-and-diming us into submission.

That’s bullplop! What’s with all the weapons and suspects who wanted him dead, then?!

He must’ve been shopping in the organic fruit & veggie aisles.

I learned yesterday that 73% of the US food supply is UPFs (Ultra-Procesed Foods). UPFs are unhealthy in many ways, including contributing to depression. And then I learned that 1 in 10 Americans takes anti-depressants. I’m still in shock thinking about that.

I’m retiring this year. I’ve been thinking of ways to economize. Maybe I’ll give up food.

Actually, Goat, stress can be a real murderer. That’s why it’s often known as the ‘silent killer’.

Wrong! Judy stabbed him, Victor shot him, Reverend speared him, even left their weapons right there. Not so smart Pig blamed it on completely irrelevant conditions because he is running for office and assumes voters are dumber than he is. Now Judy, Victor and Reverend will support him and give him donations.

California prices: Not even once.

Buy some chickens and see how much they’ll cost you.

Fingerprints and DNA from hand sweat and dead skin cells play no part. Most mysterious.

I DO like Mc Doofus is throughfuss, though.

Also, those in authority in the church will be held to a much stricter judgement. God said it, not me.

We’re paying over $200 / week on groceries for 2 people. Inflation isn’t going down no matter who is elected

“To one day stab him”. English is the victim here; Pig thoroughly split that infinitive.

Also, the first thing said in the strip was, “The solution will shock you.” That’s another hint, I think.

Maybe get mad at the monopolists that have taken over the grocery biz. From the very limited number of chains selling goods, to the consolidation of production into a handful of international corps, to crops grown, the market is controlled by very few players. Who are joyfully cashing in their position at everyone’s expense.

True … the other day at the checkout, I had to leave my cases of Snickers, Twinkies, and Jelly-filled Bismarks at COSTCO.

Every trip to the grocery store is a Trump campaign Ad.

But it’s real easy to see why this cartoon died!

The plot line is what is suffering from inflation.

No, no… he has a point.

Perfect!!

Inflation is the hidden tax we pay to finance war.

Pastis is slowly inching into the political arena. I say stay out of it Stephan.

It is weird people expect their pay checks yo rise all the while expecting prices to stay the same.

So, why isn’t he dead INSIDE the store?

Sadly, too too true.

“Inflation is down” my Wise A$se on The Hill!!

Tsk, tsk, no order and method!

Have you seen the cost of Chicken Feed? It ain’t chicken feed anymore.

I was gonna say they all did it at the same time.

Amid all the inflation jokes and political back & forth, did no one—except one premium member & me—wonder why the weapons were there at all?

Groceries have gotten expensive for many people. Sadly, I don’t know any of them so I can’t offer my sympathies or the extra box of eggs I have in my fridge.

Seriously, though, we Americans are too spoiled. We collectively whine if annual inflation goes to 3% or even 9%. Try living in a country with 30% or 90% annual inflation, then we’ll talk.

Econ 101 told us when the demand for a product is price-sensitive and the price increases the demand goes down. Substitute. Buy the house brand of greasy-salty snacks for serious savings. I fear that having munchied my way through countless such snack products, I can attest I cannot tell a difference. There is a Clancy’s (Aldi) product to match nearly every major brand product.

Did the Reverend give McDoofus his last rites?

More Croc’s!

McDoofus?

Actually a murder mystery does not have to have a murderer. It just has to be a case where the cause of death could be murder.

So how did all those weapons get there? P.S. if the reverend is a serial killer he should be arrested anyway.

That’s not a spear, that’s an arrow.

Maybe it was the same as Murder on the Orient Express…

Shellacioous. No yolk.

Emaciated, but no blood.

I wouldn’t say a Murder Mystery has to have a murderer, Natural Causes/Suicide is a valid story Climax. The problem is, its harder to make a reveal like that without making your audience feel like you wasted their time after spending so much time with the other “suspects”.

I did guess “none of them,” but the true killer was an unsurprising yet amusing cliche’.

Inflate Stephan Pastis.

Everyone suspects the Reverend. It’s literally one of the oldest tropes

To get my masters, I did a thesis paper on inflation. I won’t go into great detail and the main point is: Inflation never goes down. It is a lie when politicians say that inflation is down by x percent. When a can of corn goes from $1.00 to $1.15, the economists say that inflation is 15%. The next month the can goes from $1.15 to $1.20 and economists and government says that inflation is down to 4%. The only truth there is that the cost of that can of corn only rose by a nickle, but you are still paying out of your backside for that can of corn. And, when the can of corn drops to $.75. they call it a depression, not a readjustment of what a can of corn should cost.

So in other words, President Biden (or, as I like to call him, “His Fraudulency” and “Sleepy Joe”) is responsible for Mr. McDoofus’ death.

$1.47 a dozen this week. Really???

Agatha Christie wrote a book in which all the suspects did it. I would name it but that would be a “spoiler” for people that have not read it yet. :)

One thing that always bugged me about playing “Clue” was that we had to figure out the murder weapon. Because it apparently wouldn’t be easy to tell whether Mr. Boddy was shot, stabbed, bashed, or garroted. (Granted, bashing with lead pipe and bashing with candlestick would be harder to discern as a non-professional, but c’mon, I’ve seen sitcom husbands smart enough to identify most of the rest!