Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

Tai as an MGS guard

6 (5.6%)

Mieville's tragic leap

38 (35.2%)

KILL.  YOU.  BOTH.

22 (20.4%)

..-. ..- -. / .-- .. - .... / ... .- -- ..- . .-.. / -- --- .-. ... .

30 (27.8%)

"Stop slapping yourself with your metal hand!" (not an actual quote, but I like to think she said it between comics)

12 (11.1%)

Total Members Voted: 92

[jwhouk]

Someone I knew when I was pretty young had a bumper sticker that said "ORY-GUN" and she explained that that's how people from Oregon pronounce it. I never did find out if that was true.

After living the first 20 years of my life in Illinois, there isn't much that grates on me more than hearing someone say "ell-ih-noy" or, even worse, "ill-ih-noiz". I do remember there was some local TV personality who combined the two into "ell-ih-noiz" and it made me want to punch him.

We just call 'em "FIBS" up here.

[Penquin47]

One of the many nice things about being Texan, I suppose... EVERYONE knows how to pronounce Texas.

Making allowances for the immigrants who pronounce it the Spanish way, of course.

[Akima]

Sadly, Portland is not grinding up the hipsters for chum; instead it is letting them roam free, like grazing goddamn cattle, becoming fat on Voodoo Donuts (fucking shut up forever about that place, Portlanders, no one cares) and babbling like a runnng stream about their fucking band/clown college plans/independent film, whilst they abuse the state's lack of sales tax and go get stoned at OMSI.

Everything I know about Portland, I learned from reading Bike Snob NYC, so assuming a satirical blog is completely accurate, I'm sure I'd be suffocated by the smugness.

[Elysiana]

One of the many nice things about being Texan, I suppose... EVERYONE knows how to pronounce Texas.

Making allowances for the immigrants who pronounce it the Spanish way, of course.

And the Alabamans who make it three syllables. TAY-EX-ESS

[Method of Madness]

What sucks is that I live in New Jersey.  People pronounce Jersey fine, but they seem to think that we don't.

And I gotta be honest, a lot of people don't.  Whenever I hear someone with what outsiders consider a "Jersey accent", it causes me pain.  (And don't get me started on Jersey Shore, because I'd be useless there.  I've never seen it.)

[Kal]

The rain thing is ridiculously exaggerated.  I live a bit south of Portland and this is what the weather is like:

Winter - It rains about 66% of the time, 75% at most.  The rest of the time it's just cold, with a very bland white sky (due to the sunlight bouncing around in the cloud cover).
Spring - There's at least as much sunshine as there is rain.  Between those there's some white sky days.  This time of year offers a lot of lovely breezes.  The flowers and new leaves look startlingly vivid after rain, and somewhat less so but still beautiful the rest of the time.  Overall, the spring weather alternates frequently and doesn't let you get bored.
Summer - No rain.  None.  Low humidity.  We do hit 99 degrees Fahrenheit occasionally; the usual temperature in summer is between 70-75 and 85-90.
Autumn - Kinda like spring, but different color palette.  Also, the weather is generally uninteresting, with more white sky days than spring and less rain than winter.

[ysth]

This is where I learned its pronunciation.

Funnier if you know that Coos Bay is in Redneck-Oregon, not Hipster-Oregon.

[butternutsquashed]

This is where I learned its pronunciation.

I literally just made an account for the sole purpose of posting that link. Congratulations, sir, for beating me to the punch.

As someone who grew up in Portland, I want to say that this notion of the city as a mecca of suffocating hipster smugness didn't get so dangerously close to being true until all sorts of national publications developed this weird fixation on talking about it all the time. First you get the New York Times writing about our food carts, and then Portlandia comes out, and now even QC is cracking jokes. Golly.

I mean, sure, there are a lot of indie-music-listening, flannel-wearing, outdoorsy, fair-trade-espresso-drinking, sustainably-minded people here, but you've also got plenty of raging conservative property-rights activists, SUV drivers, soccer moms, obese mall-shoppers, and homeless people, just like you'd see in every other city in America.

It used to be only Californians we'd worry about, but jeez, now that the hipsters are even flooding in from Massachusetts... please! There still aren't any jobs here, and you guys are not helping.

It's crazy, though... before I came to Boston for college, I really didn't think most people on the other side of the country would even know where Portland was on a map, let alone have stereotypes. The world's a funny place.

[calmcalamity]

100% agree with Kal
i often feel blessed to have been raised in a land of such natural beauty and relative stability

[Akima]

It's crazy, though... before I came to Boston for college, I really didn't think most people on the other side of the country would even know where Portland was on a map, let alone have stereotypes.

Hey, I live on the other side of the planet, and I have stereotypes about Portland. It's a global village.

After living the first 20 years of my life in Illinois, there isn't much that grates on me more than hearing someone say "ell-ih-noy" or, even worse, "ill-ih-noiz". I do remember there was some local TV personality who combined the two into "ell-ih-noiz" and it made me want to punch him.

I feel the same way about people who pronounce Beijing as Beige-ing instead of Bay-jing, but perhaps I should be more patient if there are those who can't pronounce their own home state correctly. Sydney is easy to pronounce (rhymes with kidney), but if you want to sound like a local, it is "Sinny", which someone from Melbourne (Melb'n not Mel-born, and a resident is a Mel-BURN-ian) would say was completely appropriate.

This is where I learned its pronunciation.

I say OR-a-g'n, with a "short" O as at the beginning of "office" or "on", so I guess I'm close. The comic strip's advice to pronounce it "Or a gun" would lead an Australian to say "Aw-a-gun". I do approve of the strip's advice that "the people who live there determine how a place name is pronounced", but I wonder how the artist pronounces Beijing...

[Tergon]

The conversation about pronunciation amuses me.  Everyone gets all defensive about how their corner of the US pronounces things, which states have funny accents, all that jazz.  Of course, to the rest of the world there's a slight difference when you go from North to South and that's pretty much it.  Y'all are just 'Mericans to us!

Because, I think if anyone has the right to claim worst injury in accent-related shenanigans, we Aussies have a decent argument there.  Listening to people cry, "Gidday mayyyyyte!  Threw ah shiiiiimp on the baaaaaahbie!" whenever they find out we're Australian is the kind of torture that only the worst of us shall have to endure in Hell.  The other Aussies on here know what I'm talking about. 
Or hell, just try listening to this commercial for Outback Steakhouse without breaking down crying.  I couldn't.

[Akima]

"Gidday mayyyyyte!  Threw ah shiiiiimp on the baaaaaahbie!"

Ugh... But we can only blame ourselves for that. We chose to make Paul Hogan our spokesbogan.

[Method of Madness]

When I think of crazy Australian accents. I think of Claire from Lost.

"CHAHLEE!  THEY'VE GOT MY BYE-BEE!  CHAAAAAAAAHLEEE!"

[Tova]

"Gidday mayyyyyte!  Threw ah shiiiiimp on the baaaaaahbie!"

Ugh... But we can only blame ourselves for that. We chose to make Paul Hogan our spokesbogan.

Hey, I'll admit to watching The Hogan Show as a kid, but I never voted for that bloke to become our spokesperson.

On a related topic, there was one time I was visiting the USA and I was shopping when I heard a broad "criiiikey" from the large TV overhead.

After watching for a couple of minutes, people were trying to figure out why I was crying from laughing so hard.

[akronnick]

When I think of crazy Australian accents. I think of Claire from Lost.

"CHAHLEE!  THEY'VE GOT MY BYE-BEE!  CHAAAAAAAAHLEEE!"

Maiybee the dee-ngo aeyte your bye-bee.

[calmcalamity]

Or hell, just try listening to this commercial for Outback Steakhouse without breaking down crying.  I couldn't.

trust me, there are probably plenty of Americans like myself that are sick of listening to those damned commercials

[Tergon]

I know, I know.  Our parents have much to answer for by letting that stereotype take place.  I do the best I can to make my position clear when I meet new friends from overseas with a short list.

1 - If you irritate me, I will not say "Crikey".  The language I will use will be considerably blunter and more colourful.
2 - No, I do not want a Fosters.  The reason we export that carbonated fairy urine is because nobody in Australia drinks it.
3 - Shrimp are tiny little things used to bait fishhooks.  If I'm going to grill some seafood, it will be a prawn.
4 - It was later confirmed that the dingo really did kill that lady's daughter.  Stop making jokes about it.
5 - Kangaroos are not horses, Koalas are vicious sharp-clawed little bastards, and I am no more willing to fight a crocodile than you are.
6 - If you don't stop mimicking my accent I will set you on fire.

I actually printed that out on a card that I carried around in my pocket at one point.    Seemed to get the point across well!  Until someone asked if I could sign it and give it to them.  And yes, I swear to God, that actually happened.  

[Method of Madness]

2 - No, I do not want a Fosters.  The reason we export that carbonated fairy urine is because nobody in Australia drinks it.

You guys have Fosters, but us Yanks have Bud/Coors/Miller.  The trifecta of watery crap-beers.  I haven't had Foster, so I don't know if it's worse than say, Coors (which, when extremely cold, has the decency to at least like nothing.  Not like nothing else, just absolutely devoid of flavor.)  But anyway, despite the popularity of those three, there are actually good American beers.

[Tergon]

*nods*

I've been to maybe three pubs in my life that had Fosters on tap.  Those that sold it kept it in the bottom of the fridge, at the back, out of the way... because nobody ever asked for it, but deals with breweries mean they'd at least have it in stock.  I could understand the stereotype if it was just a bad beer popular with bogans, but it's not even at that standard.  Literally nobody I know drinks it at all, because there's other, far more tolerable beers, that cost less... and many other excellent beers that cost only slightly more.

So yeah, we feel each other's pain, MoM.

[Method of Madness]

Well what sucks is that at least Australians know Foster is shit.  But the shit beer over here is the most popular.  So at least it makes sense for people to think American beer is shitty because most Americans drink shitty beer.  And I can understand drinking it, say, at home with friends, because you can get a 30 pack of shitty beer for like $10.  But if you go to a bar, and a pint of Miller Light is $5, and a pint of a delicious IPA is also $5, and you still buy Miller Light...well, that's when you've lost me.

[Coffee_Kaioken]

Lets look at it from Steve's perspective.
Steve's major girlfriends (from what we've seen) have consisted of an overly-needy marine student, a pathology assistant who still lived with her literally perfect ex-boyfriend (whom she dumped Steve for, and promptly married him by all accounts), not to mention Tortura,the scarred Russian Villianess who had Steve in what looked like a torture/bondage session, now on the run from the Department. And currently, but not least, we have Cosette, a woman whose clumsy mishaps would put Inspector Clouseau to shame.

Then, we have Steve's father, a man who has been married 4 times, or perhaps three times, even Steve is a little confused about that, which might indicate that his father has a revolving door leading to his bedroom.

So, Steve looks at his best friend, Marten Reed, a guy, who looking at his past should be all kinds of messed up - parents divorced, gay dad with a nightclub, world famous dominatrix for a mother. Yet despite this, Martin is relatively normal. So, imagine Steve's surprise when his normal pal ends up being in a relationship with a hot, former goth, without, to him, many inhibitions, a fiery ass and is a successful buisness woman. Even Steve has told Marten that he wished he could have the same kind of relationship with a girl that Marten had with Dora. Suddenly, Marten is the relationship role-model for Steve, especially to the point where Dora is moving in with Marten.

And, oop, pretty much out of nowhere, to our resident himbo, Dora and Marten have broken up, the status quo has been shaken up, and now, for Steve, seeing what looked like a stable enough relationship collapse like that has given him cause for concern, and now that mental filter is forgotten about as Steve's insecurities have started rising to the surface.

Duuuuuude, Steve is turning into the Dora in his relationship!

.... I seriously wish I had that kind of profound insight. That would be useful for things.

[St.Clair]

Fucking Portland.  The rest of us have to put up with 'em, you know.

[Skewbrow]

@MoM: Phew. Thanks for explaining your preference. I was a bit worried for a moment there - just in case it turned out that Michelob would be the brew of your choice

Fosters? May be I lose my beer cred for good, but I once sorta enjoyed it. My excuse is that I had just spent the night racing thru forests and swamps looking for control points. So after sauna and shower I was horribly dehydrated, and Fosters was what they were serving at the beer tent.

Local watering holes here serve local lager. That works well after sport or a warm day. If I have the time, and am in a group of like-minded friends, then we go find a place serving hefeweiz. Those didn't exist, when I was young, but thankfully they now do.

[Sorflakne]

You can tell that the chick in the first panel is so not into that guy.

[Kugai]

"Gidday mayyyyyte!  Threw ah shiiiiimp on the baaaaaahbie!"

Ugh... But we can only blame ourselves for that. We chose to make Paul Hogan our spokesbogan.

Or Steve Irwin?


Personally, if I was an Aussie, I'dve voted for Peter Brock

[Method of Madness]

@Skewbrow I've had Michelob, and I guess it's kind of ok?  But I would never choose it. I usually go for whatever IPA the place has on tap, and failing that, Yuengling.

[calmcalamity]

it's interesting to note that even though this thread has changed it's subject to beer now that still relates to Portland in a round-about way, in that Bridgecity has the most microbreweries of any city in the world, and Oregon in general ranks third in the nation for it's amount of breweries

[Tova]

Personally, if I was an Aussie, I'dve voted for Peter Brock

One of my favourite quotes is from Peter Brock: "Bite off more than you can chew and then chew like hell."

[snubnose]

You can tell that the chick in the first panel is so not into that guy.

... how can you tell THAT ? She's casually drinking in that panel.

[cesariojpn]

You can tell that the chick in the first panel is so not into that guy.

... how can you tell THAT ? She's casually drinking in that panel.

She's that occasional redhead that pops up from time to time. Outside of CoD, in that bar looking disgusted at Steve and Martin's conversationBROFORCE talk....

[snubnose]

Interesting.

On another note, whats up with the new comic ?   Its really late today ... will we get the secret backery again or something ?  


P.s.: Forget that. Yay, Comic ! I dont have any best year of music, either. Though I think a certain climax of music was in the 1960s with the Beatles (long before my time).

[Mr. Doctor]

I don't have a favorite year either... 1997 was kind of crappy for metal though 

[sidpatt]

Man, I'm glad I don't still think the music I liked when I was sixteen was the best music ever.

That or they're just indulging in some hipster retro-history, which makes perfect sense coming right after the Portlandia comic.

(Not to mention, if you're listing the best stuff from 1997, how do you omit Portishead, Faye?)

[SleeperCylon]

Don't worry Faye.  I would have said 1967.

[pwhodges]

Faye's expressions today are particularly well done, I feel.

[cesariojpn]

I can't even remember most of the music I was listening to in 1997. Okay, maybe just the Brit Awards....

[Delator]

We just call 'em "FIBS" up here.

I usually don't call 'em that unless I see 'em driving. Then all bets are off. 

I've been meaning to ask you whereabouts in Wisconsin you're located? I'm in the Fox Valley myself.

[jwhouk]

We just call 'em "FIBS" up here.

I usually don't call 'em that unless I see 'em driving. Then all bets are off. 

I've been meaning to ask you whereabouts in Wisconsin you're located? I'm in the Fox Valley myself.

Once upon a time, I used to be located in the civilized portion of the state (Waukesha).

Now I live in the Great North Woods, "Upnort" between Wausau and Tomahawk.

[Carl-E]

Looks like Angus is perfectly willing to join a GOM local.  Some of us are more willing than others.   

Man, I'm glad I don't still think the music I liked when I was sixteen was the best music ever.

Thank god my kids have good taste (well, at least I agree with some of it).  They got me back into more current music a couple of years ago.  Otherwise, I'd be completely livin' in the past! 

[cat_rant]

The conversation about pronunciation amuses me.  Everyone gets all defensive about how their corner of the US pronounces things, which states have funny accents, all that jazz.  Of course, to the rest of the world there's a slight difference when you go from North to South and that's pretty much it.  Y'all are just 'Mericans to us!

Because, I think if anyone has the right to claim worst injury in accent-related shenanigans, we Aussies have a decent argument there.  Listening to people cry, "Gidday mayyyyyte!  Threw ah shiiiiimp on the baaaaaahbie!" whenever they find out we're Australian is the kind of torture that only the worst of us shall have to endure in Hell.  The other Aussies on here know what I'm talking about.  
Or hell, just try listening to this commercial for Outback Steakhouse without breaking down crying.  I couldn't.

Begosh & Begarah Tergon, sure you've never met an Oirish lad or lassie have yeh?   I know the pain you are feeling.

[Odal]

Faye is kind of reminding me of those people who think the best music was in the 90s and there'll never be better music (I'm sure it's the same for other decades too).  

[rant]
And it's the people who only get their music from the glowing box in their living room, which always sucked anyways- but no wonder they thought the 90s were better.  Over time mainstream music only gets worse and worse.  So it's natural that they liked the 90s since that's when the music from the glowing box was less worse than it is now in their lifetime.  Sometimes I just wanna shake people like this...  their mainstream sucked in the 90s and it still sucks.  They need to go on the fuckin' internet and do some research if they're going to complain that music these days sucks.  The've got the best technology humans have ever had to find good music now, and people are still staring at a box which tells them what to like and complaining that it sucks.
[endrant]

And yes, I know Faye wasn't talking about that exactly, but she is reminding me of these people.

[Tova]

"You realize that officially makes you OLD, right?"

He says that like it's a bad thing.

[rje]

Well, I still like my 90s mainstream music better than the mainstream music I've heard today, even though I don't watch the glowing metal box anymore. I mean en total, there's plenty of musicians out now I like, but I get less all encompassing enjoyment than I did back then.

Not to say there wasn't stuff back then that utterly sucked ass. I mean there always was, always will be. Maybe it nostalgia goggles, I can admit that. However -  I will believe with every fiber of my being that the discovery of auto tune was a blight upon the musical landscape. A BLIIIIGHT

[Border Reiver]

Yeah, the available alternative to getting old really limits future options.

My oldest started off likeing similar music to what my wife and I were playing in car - but we had to stop certain albums as we really didn't want him singing the Pogues when he went off to school.  Now he wants pop tripe like Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas mixed in with his CCR...

As for beer, I know I've come across as someone quite reasoned on this before, but lets face it most mass produced beers (Molson Cdn, Coors, Labatt's Blue, Heinekin, Carlsberg, Fosters, etc.) are bland and featureless beers designed to appeal to the masses by the virtue of being inexpensive and inoffensive.  I've had really good beers from many places in this world (there are definitely some places though where I would recomend that they stick to other alcoholic beverages - I'm looking at you France).

[mike837go]

Nobody can label you old.

You GOTTA EARN IT!

[TheEvilDog]

Begosh & Begarah Tergon, sure you've never met an Oirish lad or lassie have yeh?  I know the pain you are feeling.

Says the Dubliner. (You forgot the shillelagh too, typical.)





People's Republic of Cork forever!

[Nooby]

This remindet me a little of the Girl in yesterdays Strip. (1919)

[DJRubberducky]

Steve has busted Marten's balls from almost the very first time we met him.  I speak from personal experience when I say this - some guys that are best friends do this.

It took me *years* to even acknowledge the humanity of one of my husband's college buddies, because Friend was like this to Husband.  (What didn't help was that it wasn't very mutual, that not being Husband's nature, and that Husband had confided to me earlier that he had a hard time making friends, so I thought he might be tolerating abuse for the sake of company.)

[Aegir]

I'm really mean to most of my friends besides the ones who are bipolar.

I really like the last two comics, they're very classic QC. I wonder how old Faye is supposed to be. I think the self-referential joke in 1920 is that Jeph was in his late teens in 1997, but I feel like Faye's supposed to be younger than 30.

[Akima]

Personally, if I was an Aussie, I'dve voted for Peter Brock

Ugh... Lee Lin Chin for the win!

Faye's expressions today are particularly well done, I feel.

I concur. They're very well done indeed.