Blond Coworker Doesn't Know Anything About Anything

October 7, 1966

Farted during a presentation? I know people farted back in the 1960s. I think there's a chapter on President Lyndon Johnson farting in the White House in one of his biographies. Were fart jokes and embarrassment from farting a thing back then? Society's reaction to farting has changed so much over the existence of humans.

I like how he leaves his cane, briefcase, and hat on the floor as he crawls under the bed. However, that means he's still in his suit which is probably pretty uncomfortable under there.

The stock market isn't real and the numbers are made up. You might as well keep your money in a mattress. This country is a sinking ship and we should all get off while we can.

Have labubus become popular enough to warrant a mention in a legacy comic strip? I just recently heard about them and have seen exactly one (1) in the wild.

Monday Quickies

October 5, 1966

Maybe she didn't notice. And even if she did, who cares? How often does she pass by this bus stop? She doesn't have a face anyway.

But this job is terrible, you don't really like it, and I'm pretty sure no one likes you.

Golf-bledy Gook

May 24, 1987

So. Much. Crime. Too much crime. Was Cleveland, Ohio just a cesspool of crime between the 1960s and 1980s? According to Art Sansom's The Born Loser, yes it was.

Why is Brutus even in this rough neighborhood? Does he usually have to transfer buses on this street when heading to or from work? Also, bus stops in rough neighborhoods tend to be well-used and fairly populated.

A lot of times the first couple panels of a comic strip don't appear in the newspaper. Which is why these throwaway panels tend to either contain exposition not needed for the rest of the strip or its own separate joke. Today's is some exposition that doesn't make sense. "I cannot wait to get out on the golf course again!" Who's been stopping you? You can leave right now and go golfing. Is your golf pro keeping you from the course? Just leave now.

From 2018.

In case you missed it, on Saturday I posted about one of my favorite movies as a kid, Rock-A-Doodle. It's a retelling of Chanticleer but if he became Elvis Presley. Spoiler alert: People probably died in the floods.

If you would like to support me or this website, you can click the Support link at the top of the page.

Map Apps?

October 1, 1966

One of the things we're losing in this world are these old sayings. I looked this one up and it's in Beverly Cleary books, fight songs, old-time short stories and I had never heard of it before. I like it. It really punches and leaves a mark. Look at Gladys. She's devastated!!

Now, did Brutus misspell Overton for Overland or maybe even Place for Terrace? Or did he completely botch the spelling, which is weird because the map app still tries to find it. I typed in OVERTIN and it found my local Overton Street. But I type in OBETTIM, like maybe Brutus would on the phone keyboard, and it found nothing.

Did Brutus get lost and then not even attempt to find where he was supposed to go and just skipped the appointment? That's some bad workmanship, right there. And so blatant. Kind of commendable. I respect that.

I will be offline tomorrow as I participate in the Global Strike for Gaza. People are encouraged to not go anywhere or buy anything on August 21st as a protest against the Palestinian genocide being committed by Israel. Palestinians do not deserve what is happening to them and they deserve action and food and water. Not prayers. FREE PALESTINE🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

Vacation Had to Get Away

September 29, 1966

I want to know how you didn't know someone was in the bathroom. And why are you using such shiny paint? Maybe it's varnish or something for a hardwood floor.

So Brutus, and I'm assuming the rest of the family, went on vacation and we didn't get to see it. Sure, we get a repeat of the damn Keane family and their idiotic vacation to New York City every ten years or so, but God forbid we see the Thornapples taking in the sights of beautiful Muncie, Indiana.

I'm Sure Standing Over Him Is Helping

September 24, 1966

Is Agnes just working on the ship? I mean, cool. Sure, she has to work, but she's still at sea. I just like that she apparently told everyone she was going on a cruise but didn't add "as an employee" to the end.

Maybe another nap?

It may also be the way you are sitting. Looks uncomfortable. I don't think I could focus on anything if I was sitting like that.

All Snuggled Up...Kind of Cute

September 23, 1966

"Of course they had to invite me on egg and tomato night..." Never offer to show up on a theme night if it's something they can throw at you. Or don't be someone people want to throw things at.

I like how your reaction to this is based on when you actually read it. If you read it early in the morning, Brutus falling asleep isn't great. But if you read it at four, it's the end of the day. Of course he's tired.

I, however, am a morning napper. That's when I typically want to doze off.

Gonna Break His Thumbs

May 10, 1987

The joke here, of course, is that Brutus only says her looks are improving after the light has been turned off. Maybe it would play better if we could see Gladys' face in the last panel. Not that I want to see more of this borderline blackface...

Ok, but let's be honest, there's a huge difference between losing your money at the casino--something you can just stop doing and walk away from--and losing your money because of, say, medical issues or some other tragedy. Unless you are going to take up a collection, maybe you shouldn't be talking about it. And if Hayes has a problem that he can't walk away from the casino, then maybe someone should urge him to go get help.

In case you missed it, take a look at the small farming neighborhood of Jaketown in central Wabaunsee County, Kansas. Never more than a handful of families, Jaketown is memorialized by a three mile road bearing its name.

School is starting for us. If you would like to donate to my wife's teacher wishlist, you can go here.

If you would like to support me, my research, or this website, you can go to the Support page in the header.

Toothpick Tuesday

September 17, 1966

Should've put up a sign or something to say 'come home quietly'. Why is he even doing this? Is he trying to avoid some work at home he needs to do? "I need to go out an tar the roof. Hey! Are those toothpicks over there?"

Okay. Did they have this many toothpicks or did he go out and buy them? There have to be thousands now in that pile. Thousands.

Monotonize is barely a word and Veeblefester is definitely using it wrong here.

R S T L N E

September 16, 1966

I don't know why Thornapple would be thrilled about that. She offered to go on this jungle excursion with you. Not many women would be willing to do that. You sure you want to trade her in for a couple of goats and a shield?

Why does the chief look like that? What's he going to do with her?

I appreciate Art making this indigenous tribe white. Less problematic.

You're going to work? Okay. Where else would you be going at 8 A.M. on a Monday morning?

Wheel of Fortune seems more up Brutus' alley than, like, Jeopardy!. Is Brutus watching the new stuff with Ryan Seacrest or the Wheel of Fortune channel on PlutoTV where it's just Pat Sajak? Maybe both?

Is That Keyboard to a Commodore64?

May 3, 1987

If you can't make out what Gladys is saying, and I could barely make it out, there are still some parts that I'm like, "What is this word supposed to be?", Gladys is talking to Doris about Claudia whose husband went to Pittsburg with his secretary. Don't worry, Claudia took him back despite her mother's objections.

Did Brutus disconnect the phone because Gladys was tying up the phone or was the phone always disconnected and Gladys just didn't notice? If it's the former, that's abuse and Gladys should be talking to Doris about that.

I only found one instance of this happening, but it's weird it happened, now, twice, right?

Look, I understand things can happen on the way to work making you late, but it constantly happening is something you need be talked to about. Brutus is clearly late because he sleeps too long, takes too long to get ready, then blames city transit for his failure. Not knowing what day it is is probably also a problem. He should talk to a doctor about that.

Despite The Born Loser being in reruns for the last week, there was a new post yesterday about the Felix the Cat Nintendo game. Check out some cute screenshots and download it for your own console.

If you would like to support me or this website, you can throw some money at one of the sites in the Support page above. I start back to work this week so posts will go back to being at the end of the day. Thanks for your readership.

Veeblefester Said Surrounded By Sacks of Money

September 14, 1966

You don't hear about witches using bombs very often. I guess that's a witch. I guess it could just be a very sinister person wearing a dark trench coat and one of those floppy slouch hats. Anyway, I wonder what they are going to blow up.

It's easy to say "money isn't everything" when you have a lot of money.

"It's okay you didn't get the raise. It's not like groceries haven't gone up 3% since January and utilities keep raising rates, and wages have been stagnant for about four years, and everything is going up because of profits and tarrifs. We'll get by somehow. Maybe we can sell Wilberforce or they'll reopen those mines children used to work in."

Needs Improvement

September 6, 1966

Shouldn't that be "Daddio" or something? I don't even really know what's going on here. Are they in a music shop? A studio? His hair isn't even that long. God, these generational arguments are so idiotic.

But the important thing is that you still have a job. Your incompetence is clearly something Veeblefester needs and believes your idiocy is worth every penny. It probably helps boost office morale.

Sometimes Why?!

August 30, 1966

Is this part two from yesterday? If you are going to sleep at your desk either keep your door shut or have a bed built underneath the desk.

So "Thornapple" is a regular character now, right? Should I start tagging him? I don't think he's technically Brutus yet though. Not yet, but a close facsimile.

"A?" He wasn't sure about "A"?! And I could go on all day about how stupid Wilberforce is, but what teacher does this? Teachers don't "assign" crap over the summer because they aren't going to do the work and you will never see these kids again. Also, vowels? Wilberforce is in second or third grade. He should already know his vowels.

Wise Old Fool

August 29, 1966

This'll be me when we go back to school in August. I'm never fully awake until 9 AM or so. I keep telling employers this but they always insist I arrive at work up to three hours before 9 like we don't live in a 24-hour world all interconnected to each other.

How about you leave the room, Veeblefester? Brutus is on his break.

That's a weird thing to say to your child, and it's not a common saying if it's a saying at all. The only uses I can find for it are from the Bible. "If you want to wise, be faithful in God", "If you want to be wise, listen to your parents", "If you want to be wise, honor God in sexual purity(!)". It's like Brutus' parents looked at him and were like, "This kid seems dumb, we better try to keep him from becoming dumber!"

What's for Dinner? *posts at 11 in the morning*

August 26, 1966

Your guess is as good as mine here. Is it funny because he's a named partner and has to clean the floors? Is part of the joke in the door that we can't make out? Whatever's going on, Thornapple is embarrassed!

CLINCH
ABISCH
SCHLEP
HENLAYER
&
THORNAPPLE

I guess...?

They've been eating this meatloaf since Sunday? How big was this loaf?

Look, I get having leftovers constantly can get boring, but I've never had a meatloaf I didn't like. Gladys probably just makes it wrong.

You Know You Can Buy Sandwich-Making Stuff That Isn't Peanut Butter and Jelly, Right?

August 22, 1966

Oh, but daddy!! I love him!! At least he's dressed normal and his pants don't seem as high-waisted as father's trousers seem.

Does Brutus not have any other things to make a sandwich with? Are there never any leftovers--which I guess wouldn't matter if Gladys has been gone all week. How come he isn't going to the diner? Is it closed again after yet another failure of health codes?

Gladys can just visit Mother Gargle? Then why does Mother Gargle visit here so often?

Stay Hydrated💦

August 20, 1966

I think Thornapple has enough self-confidence since he's currently hiding out angrily under his desk to get away from you.

Where'd he put his chair?

We're getting a lot of watercooler love the last few days. I feel it's some sort of colossal joke at me, but I know I'm far to unimportant to warrant that kind of attention.

And of course Brutus is going to spend a lot of time at the watercooler. It is his memorial watercooler after all.

The Taekwondo Kid

August 15, 1966

It took me a second to realize that this guy is a Santa Claus. The "yo-ho-ho..." threw me off and the bad scan job. And is he holding a tambourine? Does this poor guy need money or is he just in the holiday spirit?

Santa Goodslob.

Wilberforce doesn't want to waste his summer learning martial arts when he just pays Hurricane Hattie $5 a month to be his bodyguard. He already wastes his weekend with his numerous sports teams. Wasting his Monday through Friday is a bridge too far.

Why do we do this "taekwondo" --> "taekwondon't" stuff? It's not taekwondoo, it's taekwondoh. It's like the old commercial "Sega does what Nintendon't." I get what you're doing, but it's wrong.

The Brutus P. Thornapple Memorial Watercooler

March 29, 1987

Why is Brutus wearing a top hat? I've never seen him in a top hat before and I don't think I've seen him in one since. I guess Brutus is trying something different. Something he will probably stop doing because it caused him to fall into the sewer.

Who are those kids? Why are we just creating random children when Wilberforce and Hurricane Hattie are already established characters?

Didn't you hear him? Weren't you listening? Veeblefester specifically said the naming rights would be paid for. My reaction wouldn't be "Golly, Chief!" but "How much is this stupid idea going to cost us? Me, specifically?"

Naming the watercooler for Brutus does make sense since that's where Brutus spends most of his day.