I hope you noticed, the current A&J strips a couple of weeks back were about space travel and the planets, including our own. I tried to convey, in what I hoped was an amusing way, the simple point that it would be easier, cheaper and a far better gamble to take care of our own comfortable planet instead of counting on space travel to save our bacon should Earth “become uninhabitable” in the future. Of course, I was excoriated by some for “getting political.” It’s inevitable this day and time. Here’s another “political” cartoon from way back in 1993. I mean, weren’t you taught to save money and not borrow recklessly? Arlo and Janis, where we court controversy fearlessly.
66 responses to “It’s the stupid economy!”
“Arlo and Janis, where we court controversy fearlessly.” And that includes having the characters walk from right to left! That’s pushing the envelope.
What gets me is when we get good news regarding the economy and the stock market goes down.
Wall Street needs to relocate to Las Vegas.
Actually I have always thought you were brave and fearless Jimmy. You did a wonderful thing with Mary Lou and Meg, the unwed teen mother, Gus and the broken family, missing wife and estranged second daughter. You created the most realistic loving family in an odd dysfunctional working restaurant, assimilating Gene into the group lovingly.
No, you’re not controversial nor caring at all. Ignore the idiots. Say anything you want to.
Say God is a woman and has nice chest like Janis. See what they say!!!
Be cautious. The (fourth) walls have ears!
Look before you leap, but remember, he who hesitates is lost!
Ghost is en la casa.
Estoy en mi casa, también.
Finalmente estoy en casa Ha sido un largo día. Todos tienen una gran noche
We’ve had a bit of influx on the Facebook page apparently due to some papers dropping our favorite comic strip. 🙁 I also invited them here.
On the subject of politics, it seems you can’t even discuss the weather without creating political controversy! 😉
I recently heard on NPR that the Fed is upset because inflation is so low, no matter what they do to arrange the economy. They want to have inflation at about 2% so that it will drive up wages. Perhaps I’m a simple Midwesterner who doesn’t have a degree in economics, but what they’re describing sounds like breaking even to me.
Yet another time on NPR, I heard another economist saying that the ideal is to have some inflation so that wages will go up a little, thereby giving people the feeling that they are getting ahead.
Now, I’m getting up there, but I think my memory is still pretty good in most ways.
Didn’t politicians and other liars used to deride the former Soviet Union for having a managed economy?
Having deflation is very bad for the economy – it discourages folks from buying stuff or investing (because everything will be cheaper tomorrow), so economic activity dries up and we get a recession (or worse). The Fed sets an inflation “target” of 2% both as a safety margin against inflation going negative (deflation) and because mild inflation encourages spending and investment (because everything will be more expensive tomorrow).
I put “target” in quotes because in practice the Fed tends to treat 2% as a cap to be approached with caution from below, rather than a true target (which would result periods of inflation over 2% to achieve an average of 2%). Unfortunately that results in the Fed tolerating unemployment over the stated target on average as well – but they’re bankers, not working folks.
No wonder Janis and Arlo are walking backwards!
In my merely mortal opinion, the only thing government regulators are good at is getting in the way of people living their lives without worrying about government regulators!
I was going to post about wages & taxes but that may be too political
Non denominational but political.
I was taught to spend only what you had and little of that.
I am listening to a book about Pres. Coolidge – lousy book – interesting man.
He was able to pay down the debt of WWI and still stimulate the economy.
Annon was me. Computer said do one finger reboot and I lost a bunch of stuff.
So proud of Ghost who has lost a lot of pounds and a lot of inches. He was trying on some sports coats and slacks tonight that literally wrapped around him or almost fell off. He brought back some smaller pants and knit shirts he had not worn in awhile.
They all fit and looked great! He’s going to be so gorgeous we could auction him off again but I would out bid any woman who tried to buy him.
All in fun for charity’s sake is how he explains prior purchase.
I’d appoint Jackie president of my fan club, except I don’t have a fan club.
If anyone is interested, the “LawDog Files” has been released, or escaped, or whatever, as a Kindle edition. It’s already garnered a bunch of good reviews.
Mark:
Yes, I am well aware of deflation. However, I wasn’t talking about that.
According to every source that I have encountered, everything is holding steady.
Myself, I prefer steady to targets.
I just read today’s strip.
Is it a retro strip, posted accidentally?
I think I recall seeing it before.
Also, why is Gene at the old home place?
Well, the same thought occurred to me, plus we have Ludwig in what looks like a prior strip.
And coloring is truly weird. But strips are still funny, no matter if sofa is ugly.
Jimmy, are you at a Comic con somewhere? Or not feeling well?
Summer reruns?
Reticulated giraffes.
http://explore.org/live-cams/player/african-watering-hole-animal-camera
Grevy zebras.
http://explore.org/live-cams/player/african-animal-lookout-camera
Summer reruns? That could explain the backwards walk too. It’s so funny to see them going in that direction!
Why Ghost Sweetie, of course you have a fan club! We’re just all here in the Village!
I’ve been peeking in, but things have been a bit hectic in The Real World until now. Daughter and Vivian have been living with us for a bit, but now they and Fiance have moved to Daughter’s job. She works for the Georgia Parks Department, and is the new director of the Chief Vann House in Chatsworth, about an hour’s drive north of Dahlonega. Fiance works for an engineering company, and has been able to transfer to their Chattanooga office, which works very well, so all is good. It is awfully quiet here, though, and I miss being able to hold Vivian when I want to.