A pithy comic strip about life, love, lust and puthy cats.

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

Subtle Distinction

By Jimmy Johnson


Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
Sorry to have been gone so long! I have been working on other projects. I guess there’s just no way to avoid the “remember when” factor on this site, try as I might. Today’s classic A&J is yet another example of swift cultural change. First, “casual Friday” was introduced, when white-collar workers were allowed to dress down from coats and ties and the equivalent ladies’ apparel. Today there are coats and ties still out there, but the daily norm for what remains of the white-collar work force is distinctly casual. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. Hey, I’m a cartoonist! I can work in my underwear if I want, although I never do. Well, not in just my underwear. You know, I get asked that question a lot, which I think is kind of weird.

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233 responses to “Subtle Distinction”

  1. emb Avatar
    emb

    Lengthy Latin sp. names often get truncated by the ingroup: e.g., Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrels, Spermophilus tridecemlineatus [italicized, but cannot do that here], are generally called tridecs.

    Peace, emb

  2. Mindy from Indy Avatar

    Happy birthday Ghost. Enjoy the day.

  3. Charlotte in NH Avatar
    Charlotte in NH

    Dearest Ghost, wishing you a Happy Birthday Evening. I’m not going to tackle that word of yours, you can have it all to yourself. To reiterate — you really do have a remarkably big brain.

  4. Galliglo in Ohio Avatar
    Galliglo in Ohio

    Happy birthday Ghost! Hope you had a FANTASTIC day, and that you will have an even better evening!

  5. Sideburns Avatar

    Ghost, everybody (except you) knows that the longest word in the English Language is smiles, because there’s a mile between the first and last letters.

  6. Bob in Orland Park Avatar
    Bob in Orland Park

    My one word. Happy Birthday Ghost! Ooops…. that’s three.

  7. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Birthday Haiku for Me

    birthday wishes, Ghost
    that leaves no more to be said
    ….hippopotamus

  8. TruckerRon Avatar

    Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is actually in my spellchecker and also is the longest word I’ve ever italicized. Or ever will.

  9.  Avatar

    Dang it. I almost missed Ghost’s birthday totally. And I am sitting here. With my feet soaking while they get a pedicure and legs massaged. Wanted to link MM throatally whispering Happy Birthday but can’t do it, chair is vibrating too much. Love.

  10. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    The word in the English language with the most different meanings is a three letter word-run. The longest word that is spelled the same backwards or forwards is racecar.

  11. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    That’s OK, Anonie. Hearing Marilyn’s version of Happy Birthday usually makes my chair vibrate, too.

  12. Indiana Sam Avatar
    Indiana Sam

    .

    Late to the party, I am a long time lurker and occasional commenter.

    Happy Birthday GR6:

    H B 2 U
    H B 2 U
    H B dear Gho -ost
    H B 2 U

    Steve Moore

    .

  13. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    To Ghost, at the request of Anonymous

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqolSvoWNck

  14. Morphy Avatar
    Morphy

    one word or so

    goodnight gracie

  15. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    Jerry
    “The word in the English language with the most different meanings is a three letter word-run.”

    I think – I read
    The word in the English language with the most different meanings is a 2 letter word- UP.
    It certainly the two letter English word with the most meanings.

    The longest word using only the top row of letters on a qwerty keyboard is:
    ………….

    TYPEWRITER

  16. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
    curmudgeonly ex-professor

    “redivider” = 9 letters

    “detartrated” = 11 letters

    Neither is especially common.

    I enjoy words; if you have a longer English palindrome (not coined by Joyce), do tell….

  17. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Whether or not I mentioned you by name, I appreciated all the birthday wishes.

  18. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Debbe đŸ˜‰ Get to feeling better, hon?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PppUJ_JGq2U

  19. TruckerRon Avatar

    Here’s a different rendition of the birthday song…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqolSvoWNck

    Sung by Marilyn Monroe to JFK.

  20. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    I was rejected so will have to work around it.
    By the way I disagree with your great guitar players.

    Chet Atkins should have been way higher-

    Nowhere was mentioned:

    Andrés Segovia Torres, 1st Marquis of Salobreña (Spanish: [an?d?es se??o?ja ?tores]) (21 February 1893 – 2 June 1987),[1] known as Andrés Segovia, was a virtuoso Spanish classical guitarist from Linares, Spain. Regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, he is seen as the grandfather of the classical guitar. Many professional classical guitarists today are students of Segovia, or students of his student.

  21. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    or

    Sharon Isbin (born August 7, 1956 in St. Louis Park, Minnesota) is a widely recorded American classical guitarist, recording artist, concert performer, and the founder of the Guitar Department at the Juilliard School.

  22. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    or

    Roy Clark
    During the 1970s, Clark frequently guest-hosted for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show and enjoyed a 30-million viewership for Hee Haw. Clark is highly regarded and renowned as a guitarist and banjo player, and is also skilled in classical guitar and several other instruments.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-sExIVBVaw

  23. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    Then there was
    Los Indios Tabajaras
    But there were 2 of them.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rQheOglFos

  24. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    This should put this guy on that list

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bhuxkzjuQc