Smell Test

by Jimmy Johnson

July 7, 2011


Smell, they say, is a very strong neurological trigger of memories and associations. That’s certainly true of baby powder! It almost always inspires pleasant thoughts of swaddling infants and love and freshness. Of course, the talcum in baby powder, or “talcum powder,” can cause cancer, depending on the type of talc that is used. Some talc, it turns out, includes naturally occurring asbestos. You can relax; they don’t put that talc in cosmetic products anymore. However, non-asbestos-containing talc has come under suspicion, too, but there’s much less consensus about that one. If you’re interested, the American Cancer Society weighs in.


41 responses to “Smell Test”

  1. Tom (formerly from the Front Range) Avatar
    Tom (formerly from the Front Range)

    Sorry to be first here today with sad news in that Carl Reiner has left us. What a funny, talented guy he was.

    1. Matt Avatar
      Matt

      Sad news indeed…

  2. Matt Avatar
    Matt

    It’s true! I’ve never had children or swaddled any infants, but I *do* use it when changing motorcycle tubes and tires… so my version of the above strip might head in a different direction…

  3. Ghost Avatar
    Ghost

    Once, many years ago, when scientists seemed to be playing “Carcinogenic Substance of the Week”, someone stated, sarcastically, “We’re doomed, anyway. Pretty soon they’ll decide that air and water cause cancer.” Well, I guess they sort of have. Or can.

  4. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    My grandmother grew up living somewhere with a corn crib that attracted rats. And every time that I opened a bag of Fritos she insisted that it smelled like rats. She would never believe me when I insisted that it only smelled of dried corn and the rat association was only in her memory of that corn crib and the scent of the animal feed.

  5. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
    curmudgeonly ex-professor

    1. Yes, very sorry to hear that Carl Reiner has left us. I never knew of him until 1961 when I had access to a KC radio station which would play a comedy record each a.m. at 1 o’clock. He was featured on some. Extremely funny guy and known as father of “Meathead”, too….

    2. It has come to this brain that hard, oil-separated peanut butter (no brand mentioned, but it features peanuts & salt and close to nothing else) is quite easily mixed together if one microwaves the container first. Of course, the metal lid must be removed, but, then, a minute of zapping [for a pound bottle] makes it more fluid so that all can be stirred easily by a table knife. Wish I had learned that a few decades ago; most of you probably knew, right?

    3. Right?

    1. TruckerRon Avatar

      Is there any limit on the number of times “pure” peanut butter can be warmed to the easily mixed temperature and refrigerated again?

      1. Dan Avatar
        Dan

        I’ve never encountered refrigerated peanut butter in my life.

  6. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    If our fore-bearers worried about what MIGHT or might not kill them we
    would still be grass eaters retreating into the trees at night.

  7. Jackie Avatar
    Jackie

    Facebook posters in our little town mention grocery items they can’t find. Soy sauce is one right now, graham crackers another. It seems there are shortages in restaurant supply items as well, several owner/managers mentioned that in each weekly purchase order they are shorted 2-3 items as “out of stock.”

    Much harder for a restaurant to deal with then a home cook if you have set menus.

    What I have noticed in our small town is our local diners and cafes experiencing an employee crisis. Normally our cooks and waitstaff circle in a vacumn from one eatery to another. The pandemic has resulted in shortened days open, shortened hours, fewer inside diners, even less take out. Employees can’t earn enough working.

  8. Jackie Avatar
    Jackie

    While Jimmy and several Villagers follow me, many of you don’t know I am almost maxed out at 5000 personal “Friends “, Ghost and my boutique has over 7000 “Followers” and my personally owned page Eufaula Friends-A Good Small Town is about to hit 4000 members. While there is certainly a lot of duplication there I get feedback from thousands of posters from all over, not just locally. I read and administer what people say on so many subjects. While I hardly think of myself at 76 as a trending “Influencer” I find it interesting that I attract a high percentage of men and younger people in late 20s-40s.

    Could be my sense of humor and cartoons?

    1. Mark in TTown Avatar
      Mark in TTown

      And the fact that you vigorously dig out the weeds in your garden of friends to preserve it. You don’t have to do it often, but when you do they deserve it, and it makes it nicer for everyone else. Thank you.

  9. Nancy Kirk in AZ Avatar
    Nancy Kirk in AZ

    Hi, Jackie! Good to hear from you here again today; I think I’m on at least two of your Facebook pages. I hope that means you’re feeling better these days.

    1. Jackie Avatar
      Jackie

      Hi Nancy, I get respites of various time lengths. I must be entering a periof of Southern-,ness. I cooked a cobbler, then made pimento and cheese from scratch including grating the cheeses. Tonight I made nectarine ginger preserves.

      Most of the time I live on saltine crackers and popsicles so cooking shows improvement! The preserves are something I last cooked in 1985. Not sure last time I did pimento cheese?

  10. Steve the Rigger Avatar

    “ Hitler could learn a thing or two about killing the innocent from the ruling monsters in today’s world. The difference in Hitler’s killing of innocents was that his murders were not hidden, whereas the government and medical murderers of the old and weak today in this country and others around the world are hiding their murders under a guise of protecting them from a fake virus. That is a lie that is so obvious that only the most ignorant among us would be fooled by this deception. Unfortunately, that now would include over ninety percent of this population.”

    https://www.lewrockwell.com/2020/07/gary-d-barnett/old-lives-dont-matter-in-this-coronavirus-era-of-indifference/

    1. David in Granbury Avatar
      David in Granbury

      Steve, I can only hope that none of your friends or family suffer from what your post calls a “fake virus” and “hoax coronavirus.” Here in Texas we had 8,000 new cases of Covid-19 reported today alone. While, fortunately, the death rate has not yet increased at the same rate as the infection rate it is increasing. Today in Texas (where coronavirus deaths are narrowly defined) a record number of deaths are expected. My 30-something son-in-law in Colorada was sick for over two months with Covid-19. If it were a hoax, I don’t believe that Republican Governor Gregg Abbot would be allowing businesses to require customers to wear masks. Also, if it were a hoax, I don’t believe that Republican Lt Governor Dan Patrick would have said that he believes that the elderly should sacrifice themselves for the economy and their grandchildren. If it were a hoax, then the numerous states that reopened businesses without regard for President Trump’s recommended guidelines would have consistently increasing numbers of Covid-19 infections for the US today.

      With all that said, I would be perfectly happy if Mr Johnson deleted both of our posts, since the politicized discussion of current events is out of bounds for this blog group.

      1. Steve the Rigger Avatar

        David, if it were just me saying that this virus has been hyped up in order to promote a globalist agenda of tyranny, then I would understand your willingness to believe the government that has been proven to have lied about so many if not most of the important issues in my sixty plus years. But it is not just me. Many sane, intelligent people worldwide have realized how this “plandemic” is being used to take even more of our liberty.
        I understand how upsetting these ideas are to people who have been conditioned to trust their government. As I used to be. But the fact that this information is upsetting doesn’t make it less true or important.
        I know that I have pushed it about as far as JJ will allow. Probably a little further. But I have never before in my entire life felt that the situation was more desperate and dire. That is why I am hoping that even though this subject is uncomfortable and disturbing that people will open their minds and seek information from sources other than the mainstream.
        I will include a link to some comments made recently by Dr. Paul. A former congressman and a physician for sixty years. This talk is to promote a book but contains a lot of good information.
        https://orders.stansberryresearch.com/?cid=MKT462034&eid=MKT465892&step=start&assetId=AST141650&page=1
        I still encourage people to visit the Corbett Report because despite what the dishonest fact checking sites tell you about him, he provides sources every claim or assertion he makes and leaves it up to you to decide.
        In the future when we look back at this period of history, we will either be proud of ourselves for waking up and standing up to the tyranny. Or else we won’t even recognize what we are seeing because the Ministry Of Truth will have rewritten history.
        I doubt that this post will be allowed to stand but if it does, It will be my last on the subject. I mean no disrespect to anyone, especially not the great artist who creates my favorite strip. It was my feeling that readers of Argo are a bit smarter than the average bear and might be receptive. I actually just care a lot.
        For my country, for my friends and for freedom. The hour is getting late.

        1. Steve the Rigger Avatar

          Readers of Arlo I meant to write. (Darned IPad)

        2. Steve the Rigger Avatar

          Readers of Arlo I mean. (Darned iPad)

  11. Steve the Rigger Avatar

    Bob
    Monday, May 25, 2020 at 7:01 pm
    Thanks, but think I’ll pass. https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/James_Corbett

    Bob, its almost as though James made this video for you. (Though I stress how important the Gates documentary is as well).

    Please don’t delegate the responsibility to think for yourself to a fact checking organization with ulterior motives.
    James Corbett sources every claim that he makes. To claim that he doesn’t have credibility because some fact checking group that you know nothing about is intellectually lazy. You do yourself a disservice.

    https://www.corbettreport.com/episode-381-who-will-fact-check-the-fact-checkers/

    Corbettreport.com/Gates

  12. MontanaPhil Avatar
    MontanaPhil

    I saw a sticker on a new car in California with the government mandated warning “This vehicle contains substances known to the State of California to cause cancer, blah, blah, blah”. Possibly it was the adhesive used on the back of the sticker.

    If they could put a sticker on the atmosphere in CA, they would

  13. Jackie Avatar
    Jackie

    Waiting out time for the nausea meds to kick in so I can go eat some of those gingered preserves. Fresh ginger is a nausea killer too.

    Since I and at least another Villager fight cancer daily it is a rather personal issue. So many Villagers lost spouses to cancer, as did I.

    Yes, our air, water and soil is carsogeneric. Neither I nor Spellcheck can spell today. Brain fog and memory loss is a cancer side effect we live with.

    Jimmy your pandemic cartoons have been gently real, my other strip Monty was forced and not so well done but that’s his style.

    1. Sideburns Avatar

      Jackie, I’ve been known to add freshly grated ginger to my coffee grounds. Yum! And, of course, good for your stomach.

  14. Steve From Royal Oak, MI Avatar

    Happy Independence Day! July 2nd 1776 is the day that the colonies voted to Brexit. It was on July 4th when Thomas Jefferson’s beautiful masterpiece was voted for an accepted It would take a full month for us all signed.

    Jimmy, Maybe a while people are waiting for that next book you could sell /comp copies of Arlo’s calendar of Janis? I bet Ghost Rider would enjoy it!

  15. Ed Avatar
    Ed

    Love today’s strip!!!

  16. joe d Avatar
    joe d

    In this retro strip I’m surprised Arlo isn’t paying more attention to Janis in just a towel.

  17. Bonnie from Gloucester MA Avatar
    Bonnie from Gloucester MA

    Today’s live strip – July 2. Holy jamoly!!! I don’t know which is worse – that Arlo made the Janis pinup calendar WITHOUT her knowledge or that he resorted (and confessed!!) to some photoshop adjustments because she obviously was not perfect enough!!! Who’s in the dog house? Woof….woof, woof! Maybe cluttered garages are better left untouched. An instant classic, JJ!

  18. Rusty Barnett Avatar
    Rusty Barnett

    Bonnie…pretty sure the Photoshop work was to “remove” clothing, not “correct” anything about Janis…?

    1. Bonnie from Gloucester MA Avatar
      Bonnie from Gloucester MA

      Hmmmm. I’m a trogolodyte, but I didn’t think photoshop could remove something in order to reveal what’s under or behind it. How would it “know”? I assume Arlo is not popping Janis’ head on someone else’s body! But it can certainly be used to enlarge or diminish certain, ahem, assets. I guess this is where our imaginations affect our interpretation of the strip. Not to mention our knowledge – or lack thereof – of photoshop!

  19. Ghost Avatar
    Ghost

    Yes, Arlo, tell us more about this Photoshop magic of which you speak. 😉

    1. Rusty Barnett Avatar
      Rusty Barnett

      Way back, 35 odd years ago in grad school, I stopped by our department’s resident computer guru’s office to find him with a brand new (demo maybe?) NeXT machine, methodically removing Cheryl Teague’s white mesh one piece from the famous pinups pixel by pixel. 🙂

    2. Dan Avatar
      Dan

      Pics or it didn’t happen

  20. Rusty Barnett Avatar
    Rusty Barnett

    Also, the June 11, 2002 strip is a a good tie-in to today’s strip… 🙂

  21. Jackie Avatar
    Jackie

    Jimmy I agree delete COVID-19 hoax post AND the member. Not consistent with Village discussions. i am sick of the Conspiracy Theorists garbage opinions and fabrications. My own page has been invaded and infested by the squirmy creepies too.

  22. Jackie Avatar
    Jackie

    Ghost is now sole owner of the antique negatives of only surviving nude photos of very underage Jackie professionally shot. I thought I had destroyed them over 40 years ago when I first railed at my lost beauty and body.

    Little did I know at 33 just how much there was still to lose!

    Janis I suggest you reflect on that before you pitch your fit. It was inside our VERY clean garage that I smashed every portrait and photograph of me I could find, ending with filling a trash can with negatives, slides and prints.

    See Jimmy you do know us. I look forward to Janis’ response.

    1. Rusty Barnett Avatar
      Rusty Barnett

      You are still beautiful, inside and out. Hang in there my friend!

  23. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
    curmudgeonly ex-professor

    Granted, I know ZERO about “photoshop” though you’ve implied what it can do.
    .
    Is it not possible that Arlo was simply changing the backgrounds in some way? If he had a nice (I doubt unclad) photo of Janis in, say, their yard, but didn’t like the accidental view of the neighbor’s house, he might have opted to shift the Janis image to, say, a beach or ship background. After all, they’ve had a few implied “interesting” picture/tape discoveries over the years, and seemed horrified each time. In view of that, no such problem photos would be used in a calendar; they’d have been shredded or burned. I’d presume he has Janis in a swimsuit or six on his calendar.

    1. Mark in TTown Avatar
      Mark in TTown

      There might be a copy of the photo that Arlo found in a book. You know, the one taken in the cold room.

  24.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    June 11, 2002 strip…he got rid of her swimsuit, commented on how much better digital photography was… 🙂

    1. Rusty Barnett Avatar
      Rusty Barnett

      …that was me, hit send before adding name 🙂