Rhett Butler is dreamy

Wow. iPods, plasma tvs. Today's strip is just crazy! I can't imagine anyone watching Gone With the Wind on an iPod. My eyes hurt just thinking about it, but then, I don't particularly like watching movies on my computer, which has an 18" screen (yes, making it bigger than the actual television I have sitting next to it).

In fairness, though, it appears that Mom and Junior are watching something else on the 60" tv, so it's not like Dimwitty could watch GWTW on that. And I wonder how much of this is the novelty factor, too. The follow-up to this would be showing that 2 weeks later, Dim's iPod is gathering dust.

Other notes: Why is the salesman in the top panel wearing a ribbon? And shout out to Highlands, NJ. I used to go to a restaurant there somewhat regularly (hey, Bahrs!).

Fondue is food, not a name

I'm really impressed with Fondue in today's strip--he appears to have landed an airplane into some sort of blue void. Is there an airport there? Similarly, what in the world is that on the table in the kitchen? Is that lemonade coming out of the mug? What's in the green container, relish? Mysteries abound.

I'm not sure how this situation leads to the conclusion that one is "losing it." It does make one pause that this guy can fly a plane but can't work a microwave...particularly if it's a microwave the family has had for any period of time. Some of them are confusing, but if this isn't the first time or two that Fondue has tried to heat something up, then he gets no sympathy. But hey, I'd rather he be really good at flying planes than operating a microwave, quite frankly.

It's not "folksy" to leave off the "go," Al

OK, while today's strip doesn't happen every time, it sure does seem to be something that happens frequently. Although it's usually car repairs that eat up that extra money, not television repairs. Do people even repair televisions anymore? This does seem to have something to do with an HDTV, so, maybe. And honestly, if I were getting an HDTV repaired, I'd be grateful that it was only $100. But if you substitute "car repair" for "television repair," this situation happened to both a friend and I earlier this year. So...valid entry.

I do wonder what the chances are that the repairman overheard Mr. Idiot TV Owner thank his aunt for a gift of $100. I mean, who says that? Most people would just say, "Thanks for the check!" The head swivel is also freaking me out.

Technology and Mary Worth

Are we supposed to feel bad for Fignewt in today's strip? Look how huge the "Batteries Not Included" notice is! It's on the front page of the instructions! He's an idiot for not noticing! In looking, though, I'm thinking we're not supposed to feel bad for him. You can see the instructions in the top panel, with cobwebs attached. Although what is it with the toys that require assembly in this strip? A couple weeks ago, it was a crane. Today, a truck. Kid, in my days, we pushed the truck. That's how we made it go. What a brat.

I know I've seen yesterday's strip before. It seems like a long time ago, though, and I don't have the time right now to hunt for it. I wonder whether Dorkley actually tries the suggestions he gets. And does it seem weird to anyone else that he would blow the money on doctors, but not actually get the prescriptions? It's like he's a hypochondriac, but can't fully commit to it. I'd also like to point out that in today's Mary Worth that Vera has what could possibly be a computer monitor on her desk at work. Mary Worth, people. Admittedly there doesn't appear to be a keyboard, but it's a lot more advanced than TDIET.

HDTV, but no computers

I love the juxtaposition in yesterday's strip between the plasma HDTV (and wow, correct terminology throughout! Al must've had an assistant help him with this) and the actual image we see on the tv. It's in a shade of gray, and the ancient-looking ballplayer is tossing the ball in some random fashion. It doesn't look like he's throwing the ball on a play; maybe they're just tossing the ball around the horn after a strikeout? Anyway. The strip. Some of the set-up Junior is going on about isn't required for having a plasma HDTV (not that I do know what is required, seeing as I have a 27" regular tv). But home theater and DVR? Nope, not necessary. My parents just got an HDTV, and I don't believe they have a DVR. They certainly don't have a home theater system. I do like how Al not only had to write "Dunce" on the dunce cap, but tell us that this means "Dummy." Thanks!

Today's strip confuses me. Who are the two women in this strip? Is the woman next to Ragweed someone who works in his "home office"? Is she a maid? What's going on there? And really, this shouldn't come up. Mrs. Ragweed should say, "I'm sorry, my husband is working right now." If the jerks go into his study and start talking to him, he should just say, "I'd like to chat, but I'm really busy and possibly broke, as this 'Past due' invoice indicates. I'll give you a call later." If they won't go away, just don't engage. Continue working as though they weren't there, and they'll get the hint. And honestly, does this happen? Do whole families stop by in the middle of what's presumably a workday? If he's doing work on a Saturday, then I can see an issue. I feel bad for Ragweed and His Ladies, but they need to grow a spine, as is the case in so many of these strips.

At least the submitter isn't from Florida

I'm sorry. Are they kidding me with today's strip? Who cares if the doctor has old magazines in the waiting room as long as his practice is up-to-date? Though, really, judging from the not-surprising lack of computers in the office, I somehow doubt he's totally up-to-date, despite the jargon that Nurse Nulla is using. (And "internal dandruff elimination"? I get the feeling we're supposed to find stuff like that funny. Al? I don't.) But if we go strictly on the premise--the doctor is totally cutting edge, but only has old magazines in the waiting room--is that amusing? I guess. I'm just annoyed with the execution.

Also, I don't have much sympathy for people who come to a place where they pretty much know they'll have to sit around for a while and yet inexplicably don't bring along anything to do. Old magazines in the waiting room is pretty standard fodder for complaints. People know this will be an issue. The answer isn't to complain; it's to bring a book with you. Honestly, people it's not that hard.

I do admit that seeing 2001 and 2002 being acknowledged as a while ago threw me off a bit. Chances that Al initially wrote 1961 and 1962? Pretty good.

And a heads' up: I'm going out of town tomorrow, and probably won't get a chance to update again until Monday.

Catching up

It's two for one today, since I didn't post yesterday.

Yesterday's strip is awesome for having Fauna and her boyfriend go steady. I'm debating whether or not he looks like a shiftless loafer. I want to say no, mostly because he's wearing a suit and tie, which I find impressive. I wonder where he and Fauna are going! The person who annoys me the most in this strip is the dad. Hey, Dad! You could've stepped in and stopped Fauna from being a brat yourself! Raising a kid doesn't rest solely on Mom's shoulders! Sorry, I think I'm making too much sense.

Today's strip is another case where the basic premise is correct--one frequently does come back from vacation to find a lot of voicemail and e-mail waiting. And we again see a computer! Shocking. But..."E-mail glop"? And did you not bring a cell phone? Maybe they don't have them. Even if I accepted the answering machine premise, the recording should clearly be something like, "You have 23 new messages and 4 old messages," not what he has. Also? That mail is probably mostly junk. Sure, everyone still gets regular mail, and some of it is important. But there's no way that there would be a large pile like that that isn't easily sorted into junk mail vs. personal mail.

The child in the background frightens me

Today's strip just absolutely blew me away. Al does know what a computer is! He's heard of blogs and the Internet! (Although now I'm thinking that the contributor probably wrote "Kids who spend all their time on the Internet updating their blogs," so Al didn't have to fret about proper usage there.) Although I do need to point out that "that Internet" and "blogs" are hardly "the latest technology trends." I mean, I've had a blog since 2000, and I'm hardly a trend-setter.

I am, however, a "total computer-armchair potato."

I'll just ignore, also, that this strip totally applies to me. I love listening to records on a turntable (this does not mean, however, that I don't enjoy listening to new CDs). There's something comforting about the sounds of a record. I can't explain it. My sister has an awesome cassette/CD/record player. I covet it.

And maybe Loopina does like "the old-time sound," and since it's available on records that her folks already own, she doesn't feel the need to blow money on CDs when she can listen to it for free.

I want the old register to go "Ch-chunk!"

"You're asking...we're showing..."? Really? Clearly the highlight of today's strip because really, nobody's asking. Most of us have dealt with high-tech cash registers. Most of us know how long they take, and trust me, it's not long enough for cobwebs to form.

Unless the highlight is the fact that that wacky modern register is literally in the shape of an anvil. I feel like that's almost too clever for TDIET, really.

Seriously, is this really a problem? I've never encountered anything like it. If anything, the problem probably isn't the machine, but the person working the machine. I have no doubt that ol' Ferd himself is working the register, and he has much more incentive to keep his customers happy than Oddly Formal Checkout Guy at the Big Store.