Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for July 08, 2018

I have to see relatives like that more often than Stephan sees his sister. I don’t talk to them.

And Stephan can call her a loon right back for having used the non-word, irrespective! Oh, wait! Who wrote this strip? Stephan? Since he wrote the word, I guess he’s still a loon!

For a Pastis worthy pun, see today’s Bizarro!

That just makes too much sense. It’s so much easier to condemn and vilify. The Talking Heads were right (Stop Making Sense.)

But I haven’t got a sister.

As for the sister’s comment in the last panel,

I think we have a consensus.

Wow! A Pastis strip that makes sense!

POLITICS TODAY: When I Want Your Opinion, I’ll Give It To You!

I used to have a sister but not any more. Carpe diem!

I think Stephan Pastis has another sister named Penny. I wonder if Steph will share with us some things about Penny, maybe next Sunday?

Gosh ‘n’ golly, it’s almost as if the Google-Facebook duopoly that took over the internet created a business model where hate and self-righteousness based clickbait became the only viable business model for most online content creators.

We are all drowning in a sea of positive feedback.

Pastis has it right. I quit watching news programs last year because my wife and I are now on different sides of politics. When I do watch an occasional report I get so cynical that I can’t believe a word they are saying. Conflict equates to money because it boost ratings…….and as long as people keep watching they’ll feed you the same old crap day after day after day!

Boom! People would be so much happier if they didn’t watch so much news!

My sister and I don’t agree on everything, but we do agree that Donald Trump is a POS.

Hephaestus is the Greek god of blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals, metallurgy, fire and volcanoes. Hephaestus’ Roman equivalent is Vulcan. In Greek mythology, Hephaestus was the son of Zeus and Hera, the king and queen of the gods.

“(Caricatures not my strength.)”

Neither are apostrophes.

Love this. :-)

And now we have Loony tunes, much easier to watch & listen to.

Wise words. Thank you.

My sisters are great — it’s my brothers that are loons.

No toon is comment unto itself, every toon is a piece of the media, a part of same, When jackboots come as surely they be, do not ask for whom they come, they come for thee.

Turn the dial on the hype down.

My children and I span the political spectrum but manage to have civil conversations about social and political issues, and yes, I agree that news and social media is totally playing the public.

Conflict, disaster, and sensationalism, rather than facts, attract viewers and readers to “news” outlets that depend on sponsors selling products.

But what about trump’s lying? Politics aside, how many lies doe we tolerate?

I guess it all boils down the character. If you like lying. If you like cheating. If you like treason. Then you find yourself loving trump. If you think integrity and honesty count. Then you realize the pathetic display of malignant character overcomes policy-related concerns. Anything this administration does is fruit from a poisoned tree. Those who support it support lying and cheating and bullying and all the rest. That’s a big reason there’s no middle ground. I do not support lying and cheating, regardless of your policies.

Well put

Newspapers aren’t making money.

Politics are assigned to the corner of the yard away from the horseshoe pit. You want to be in the air conditioning, you have to be making music, playing cards, or cooking. Gathering is in Tennessee. In June.

Nice strip Stephan. Really hit home. I haven’t spoken to or visited my sister since our mothers funeral. Thats probably not going to change.

“We can find our highest potential in the realm of no Ego. Let us meet in that place.” -Kate Potter. That is the place where Stephan and Parisa are. Namaste.

Talking to relatives is overrated .

Parisa Pastis? Cool name.

Make too much sense, the left will hate it.

My present to my brother for his 50th birthday was a life-long truce. It worked! We now both try to stay away from our conflict areas.

Stephan: Nicely said.

Wow, that’s something really different from Stephan… and really good!

Wow Mr. Pastis you really nailed it down with the last 4 panels. Thank you, thank you very much.

Wait, Pastis wrote something insightful? Isn’t that one of the signs of the apocalypse?

I’m on one side of the political spectrum, the rest of my family (virtually all of them) are on the other side. That’s bad enough, but ALL they talk about is politics and how bad my side is ad nauseam during my annual visit, usually in conjunction with the constant blaring of a certain TV station. They’re not doing it for my benefit (I don’t think), but this is their dialog all the time and I just happen to be witness to it. I’ve learned how to bite my tongue without bleeding after all these years, but I can only do that for so long before I need time alone to vent.

Yes, the news outlets are profitable by playing to (aka manipulating) their audiences. I don’t care how biased any of them are, I just wish they wouldn’t lie. Disinformation will destroy us as a society more than anything else.

Love today’s strip. We have more in common than we realize. In the words of Marvin Gaye, “For only love can conquer hate”

Tbh I’m a bit surprised Pastis thinks much less published that about the media. I certainly believe it. But most of his peers are all about hate the President w/o the slightest bend.

May I offer this suggestion: View PBS Newshour. No bias. No manipulation. No lying. It DOES require thought and focus.

Political arguments are for sissies. At my family gatherings, the HOT topic is ACC basketball teams since so many of us went to different universities in the South. We particularly try to avoid having the Duke and North Carolina alumni sitting near each other.

Never trust a reporter who talks faster than 150 words per minute, nor one who doesn’t know the difference between a story and a report.

Nice one Stephan. My family runs the gamut between far right and extreme left with some of us at various points in the middle. I love all my family, whether or not their politics align with mine. There are plenty of other topics to discuss but shutting out someone just because they don’t agree with you really only hurts you. My family is about 800 miles away, I think I need to drive up North to see them this month. Thanks.

The media are just taking their cues from the parties. Stirring up hatred is what they have to do to get into office or stay there and pay off their patrons with money and favors.

Thank you for using your artistic gifts to help heal the country! Bravo!

Without a doubt, the most insightful and honest position of the day. THANK YOU Stephen!!!!

Cartoon-Boy, with the help of his sister, Cartoon-Girl, has something genuinely useful and encouraging to say today!

You never know what you’re gonna find on the comics page!

Good job of getting people to talk, Pastis!

Not much interest in the messaging, but the intricate artwork; WOW!

I read Steinbeck’s “Travels with Charley” in the last year, and was surprised to read his comments about his own family of origin – his sisters were the RWNJs and he was the liberal. He also stated how divided the country was then (around 1960). Even without Fox there were serious divisions among those who followed politics.

By the way, I don’t believe it’s true that half the country is leftist and half is right-wing. The lunatic fringe of the RW is probably not more than 20% of the population. A lot of people who vote® are upper-income types who just want a tax cut. I’m sure most people are truly moderate.

That’s vote R, above, as in Republican.

You’re going to hate me for saying this, but… that 8th panel felt a little random.

Are we sure this was Stephan?

Hooray! A wholesome comic!