The Evolution of the Evolution Cartoon

stop following me

Though it may seem otherwise, I do not in fact spend all of my time reading Language Log.  But here’s a short essay that radio personality Richard Howland-Bolton linked to in a comment on a post there.

The Idea of Obama

astral obamasClick on the image to view the comic full-size at Salon.com.

USA: CRAZYWORLD! — Episode 3

This time, we’re exploring the personal costs tied to intensive AM listening. A harrowed waif stands poised at the precipice of madness, but receives the consoling tones of a caring “life coach” or similar figure. A lesson in hard realities. Questions to ponder:  Does the young waif actually in fact swear off AM listening? Is that his own hand switching on the radio? And if so, when does this take place? The same day, as he savors a “last hurrah” of sorts? The very next day, as his resolve crumbles like dry tinder against the lush prospect of a tortuous Rush Limbaugh tirade against “cap-and-trade”?ep3pg1ep3pg2

Logicomix

This looks like a job for Bertrand Russell!

This looks like a job for Bertrand Russell!

In college, I took several courses on formal logic.  I enjoyed those courses greatly, and wanted to continue my engagement with the subject.  As the years passed, however, I grew reluctant to read anything that didn’t have a lot of pictures.  So I was excited to hear that last week, Bloomsbury USA released an American edition of Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth, a graphic novel based on Bertrand Russell’s role in the development of formal logic. 

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Sign Language in Comic Strips

Here’s an old Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal.  Notice the speech balloon rising from the signing fingers:

smbcspeechballoon

In this comic, a thought balloon rises from signing fingers:

thought balloon

I suppose a cartoonist could also gloss sign language with a note in the caption space, but my lunch break wasn’t long enough to find an example of that approach.

USA: CRAZYWORLD! — Episode 2

aI guess you have to make at least two of something before it can be technically called a “series.” I’m not entirely comfortable with the flippant, satirical usage of Jesus Christ here … but as one can plainly see, the humor is never at Jesus’ expense. (How have they been able to make the “Blondie” strip all these years without even once bringing in Christ to help set up a joke?)

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A Blast From The Past

I’m trying to figure out when the heck this thing was made. It’s definitely old. And seems, incidentally, to have worn well with the passage of time.

 

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USA: CRAZYWORLD!

I swore that I would create a comic strip called USA:  CRAZYWORLD! and come out with — if not hundreds of installments; God knows the subject matter is rich enough — at least one.  Hmm.  During the Bush administration, withdrawal from Iraq was said to be UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE.  (Iraq will become a safe haven for terrorists!!!)  Now a gradual “standing down” in Iraq is taken for granted.  So what changed?  Wait, don’t tell me!  THE SURGE WORKED.  Yeah, that’s it.  So let’s “surge” Afghanistan … and then we will be able to withdraw from there, too!  God, it all makes so much sense.  Anyhow, in conclusion:  “GO, USA!!!”usa crazyworld! 1 of 2

usa crazyworld! 2 of 2

The search for life as we know it, behaving as we would expect it to do

Today’s xkcd:

the_search

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This may not really be fair to researchers who are currently searching the radio waves for signs of artificially produced transmissions from other planets.  After all, there is only one electromagnetic spectrum, while there might be any number of ways species might use or not use chemical traces to communicate.  Still, I think the basic point is well taken.

The most ambitious installment of xkcd I’ve seen

overstimulated