Topic: WCDT: 27th June - 1st July (1956-1960) (Read 84822 times)

snubnose · « **Reply #350 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 06:39 »

Quote from: Loki on 01 Jul 2011, 01:47

Over here in Germany, law requires a couple to live separately for at least a year before they can be legally divorced. (That or they'd have to have really severe circumstances, for example violence in the family.) So I admit I completely failed to understand what the big deal is the first time I read the comic.

Same here.

Was still easy to "get" compared to yesterdays comic, though. Even after reading the forum I still have no clue what it is all about.

Welu · « **Reply #351 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 07:06 »

I think there's not been much freaking over Jim's still being married because it's not 100% if he was joking. He already made a joke about Dora being the right age for children so this doesn't seem much past him. It is fun to see Dora getting caught off-guard though.

Something about Dora's body language when Jim is touching her shoulder reminds me a lot of my younger self. Back when I was terrified (more terrified, at least) of physical contact and any time someone I was crushing on touched me my brain went to, "This should be nice and kind of is but this feels really weird and this is too far out of my comfort zone."
Dora probably doesn't feel ~~completely~~ like that but that's my personal projection. At least Jim knew to take his hand away, so he seems pretty sensitive to people when it counts and when his sense of humour doesn't get the better of him.

_{Unintentional adding to the Jim = Marten From The Future theory}

Skaltura · « **Reply #352 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 07:36 »

Is it just me or does Dora look very similar to Marten in this strip? Especially her face in panel 1 and 4b. If you compare her to Hanners' dream-creature then the only difference I can see is that Marten's jaw is slightly more angular, it's if not creepy then at least somewhat unsettling.

Also yay for legitimate use of Psyduck on first post!

~~cesariojpn~~ · « **Reply #353 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 07:48 »

Quote from: wrwight on 01 Jul 2011, 02:57

Wow, I'm surprised there isn't more upset over the possibility of Jim's divorce not being final.

Because we weren't exposed to the circumstances of Jimmy's divorce, unlike Dora and her callous breakup with Marten.

Dr. ROFLPWN · « **Reply #354 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 07:49 »

As much as I am diggin this date I kind of want to see more of Hanners GET HER KNEES FLEXIN AND HER ARMS T-REXIN 8D

wrwight · « **Reply #355 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 08:54 »

Yeah, I was also a bit disappointed we only got one party comic this week. Oh well, there's always next week, and the one we did get was fantastic.

gangler · « **Reply #356 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 11:28 »

Quote from: Skaltura on 01 Jul 2011, 07:36

Is it just me or does Dora look very similar to Marten in this strip? Especially her face in panel 1 and 4b. If you compare her to Hanners' dream-creature then the only difference I can see is that Marten's jaw is slightly more angular, it's if not creepy then at least somewhat unsettling.

Also yay for legitimate use of Psyduck on first post!

That's always been the case hasn't it? I thought that was the joke with those moments. Hanging a lampshade over the fact that this couple is basically a set of gender-swaps of eachother. Heaven knows I've mistaken one for the other on more than one occasion.

Kugai · « **Reply #357 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 12:01 »

Ahh Jim, ye have an interestin' sense o' humour there laddie.

michael28 · « **Reply #358 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 12:12 »

Quote from: jwhouk on 01 Jul 2011, 05:56

I can't decide if Jim's being creepy, has a bad sense of humor, or is just being a tool.

10% creep
80%bad sense of humor
20%tool

110% good addition to the cast

jacjyd · « **Reply #359 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 12:17 »

Quote from: cesariojpn on 01 Jul 2011, 07:48

Quote from: wrwight on 01 Jul 2011, 02:57
Wow, I'm surprised there isn't more upset over the possibility of Jim's divorce not being final.

Because we weren't exposed to the circumstances of Jimmy's divorce, unlike Dora and her callous breakup with Marten.

What kind of upset should people be you think, even if we know the circumstances of the divorce? I guess if Jim's divorce was all Jim's fault?

I guess I've known plenty of separated people who've dated...a year is a long time to wait! Especially if the divorce was due to an affair or a change of heart in the other person...

wrwight · « **Reply #360 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 12:30 »

I think he was at least partially correct in responding to my sentiment, rather than my words.

Yeah, it's true we don't know the circumstances, and I can see how that might keep some of the craziness down. Also, the fact that is is fairly obviously a joke (according to the way I read the last panel, Jim's response is essentially "Now you're getting [my sense of humor]." It's just that in my short time here it seems like we don't need a lot of motivation to poke holes in the Dora/Jim boat. I guess he's won more of us over than I thought, and/or divorce has become common enough that understanding of the process has become commonplace, which is a sad commentary on our world, in my opinion.

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #361 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 13:30 »

992 commented on how much Dora and Marten looked alike.

pwhodges · « **Reply #362 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 14:54 »

Also 618 and 374.

TheEvilDog · « **Reply #363 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 15:35 »

Poll results:

Lemon slice with your drink at a college party? Hanners is a lady of class. 14 (23.3%)
Cosette has a twin? 10 (16.7%)
Dance Dance Party - Mari-Chan edition 12 (20%)
And Hanners' creepy face has lost her some of that class... 8 (13.3%)
Also...Finally, its party time! 4 (6.7%)
Ah, college parties...Memories...Wait no, can't remember, too much alcohol 3 (5%)
This one time at a party... Story time folks! 3 (5%)
....Man, now I want a beer... 6 (10%)

Total votes: 60

iduguphergrave · « **Reply #364 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 15:38 »

How is Jim being a tool? Because of the stupid jokes? He's nervous; this is the first date he's been on since his divorce. You say/do stupid things when you're nervous.

I liked how he immediately stopped touching Dora once he saw her discomfort. He didn't need to be told, just read the signs and took his arm off her. Personally, I think Jim loses more creepy points the more strips he's in.

jwhouk · « **Reply #365 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 17:04 »

If he's being literal, he's being a tool.

Tiogyr · « **Reply #366 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 19:02 »

I don't know, seems to me if he's hitting her with all these "worst case scenarios" all at once on the first date and then none of them actually end up being true, it takes the pressure off anything else that may happen that is nowhere near as bad.

Still kind of a dick thing to do, though. Like that episode of It's Always Sunny in Philedelphia where Danny Devito's character tells his kids that their mom is dead, waiting a beat, then saying "No, actually, we're just getting a divorce".

Method of Madness · « **Reply #367 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 21:03 »

Quote from: Loki on 01 Jul 2011, 01:47

Over here in Germany, law requires a couple to live separately for at least a year before they can be legally divorced.

You know what'd be an interesting counter-law? Requiring a couple to live together for at least a year before they can be legally married.

Carl-E · « **Reply #368 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 23:09 »

Did that. Two years, actually.

It didn't work out.

We got married anyway

Near Lurker · « **Reply #369 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 23:14 »

If the divorce technically weren't final, I don't see the big deal. These proceedings can be messy, and by when you're living separately, have worked out arrangements with your children, and have a set date for finalizing it within a week, it seems like about the right time to get back on the horse (although in some cases you might be giving your partner a bargaining chip). Of course, he shouldn't be so flippant about something that might be true; this isn't like the "breeding age" crack he made before, where Dora was a bit foolish to take it seriously. And if it is true, he really shouldn't have responded "now you're getting the hang of it!"

Elysiana · « **Reply #370 on:** 01 Jul 2011, 23:22 »

Quote from: Method of Madness on 01 Jul 2011, 21:03

Quote from: Loki on 01 Jul 2011, 01:47
Over here in Germany, law requires a couple to live separately for at least a year before they can be legally divorced.
You know what'd be an interesting counter-law? Requiring a couple to live together for at least a year before they can be legally married.

I really do wish there were a law for this, actually - or at the very least, I wish it were part of the social code of conduct.

Tova · « **Reply #371 on:** 02 Jul 2011, 00:41 »

Quote from: jwhouk on 01 Jul 2011, 17:04

If he's being literal, he's being a tool.

No, I don't think so.

She asked, he answered, how is that being a tool?

themacnut · « **Reply #372 on:** 02 Jul 2011, 01:02 »

Jim's not a tool, he's a CREEPER!!! Assign the right insulting terms to the right people, will you?

Boomslang · « **Reply #373 on:** 02 Jul 2011, 02:21 »

Marigold (whom we know to have an attractive figure to some folks) is dancing at a party full of open minded lesbians/bisexuals.

And we're still paying attention to Dora and Jim. Why are the potentially hilarious sight gags ignored in favor of romances between clearly-destined-to-be-happy (i.e. Boring) folks?

My priorities are not fulfilled. I don't need fanservice, I just want some real awkward humor. And I was under the impression somehow that this comic was ALL ABOUT the awkward humor.

I know I'm unimportant, but seriously, wouldn't Marigold fending off a collegiate suitor be funny as heck? Jeph, go for the low hanging fruit. I'm depending on you.And drunk. Living in the land of microbrews has it's disadvantages.

jwhouk · « **Reply #374 on:** 02 Jul 2011, 03:21 »

Good safety tip: don't post drunk.

themacnut · « **Reply #375 on:** 02 Jul 2011, 03:42 »

Eh, so Marigold fends off some drunk college girls at the party. Where's the suspense? We know nothing's going to happen there besides a moment or two of awkward humor. Then she'll go home hating herself 'cause all she could get to hit on her was drunk lesbians. No surprises there.

Dora and Jim though, is where the drama's at. What will happen between them? Will Jim put his foot in his mouth one too many times? Will Dora's creeper sense finally overwhelm her and force her to bail on the date? If not, will the level of awkward during the date convince her not to have another? SO many questions, SO much potential for drama. QC isn't just about the awkward humor anymore. The drama quotient started going up right around the time of Faye's "talk" with Marten about their future relationship and has been slowly but steadily rising ever since. It's more of a drama comic with moments of humor now.

TheEvilDog · « **Reply #376 on:** 02 Jul 2011, 06:31 »

Jim, Jim, Jim... Its ok to make a girl laugh on a date, its expected, but you don't try to fecking break her brain!

Someone find a pin, we might need to do a hard reset before Monday.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #377 on:** 02 Jul 2011, 08:20 »

Btw, I was away all week and couldn't comment on it then, but the discussion on the singular they and the absurd alternate pronouns that try to replace it reminded me of this.

NotAwesomeAnymore · « **Reply #378 on:** 02 Jul 2011, 09:59 »

But 'they' which has been in use for centuries of patriarchal society isn't always the easiest. It implies that people only want to use non-gendered speech sometimes. We use 'he' and 'she' all the time, but is it really necessary unless you wanna bang the person or are selling tampons? I retort with this.

Akima · « **Reply #379 on:** 03 Jul 2011, 02:23 »

Quote from: NotAwesomeAnymore on 02 Jul 2011, 09:59

I retort with this.

Do you indeed? Yes, I've read it before, and it is very clever. It is perhaps a shame that so clever and talented an individual employs his talents in being so massively condescending. It is an even greater shame that he seems to strike an chord with many men, or at least so i assume, since this piece is so often approvingly trotted out as if it were the last word on the matter.

NotAwesomeAnymore · « **Reply #380 on:** 03 Jul 2011, 03:41 »

Uh, I don't know what last sentence means, either because of the way I'm reading it or because I'm not familiar with the Douglas-Hofstadter-referencing community. When I first read that essay-thing I thought it was kind of weird or condescending or whatever, but like, it was the '80s. I don't know if things were different then.

Also, even though the race thing is manipulative, it makes the idea of doing away with gender binary palatable. Like, we should be aware of the dangers of "separate but equal" (oh hot damn, more racial references). I just don't think that a singular gender-neutral pronoun is absurd. People who want the singular 'they' are only ok with doing away with plurals because they think it's never really going to happen.

And is it distasteful to compare sexism to racism? I would say no, because there's not an objective measure for how much oppression one group experiences. I think the idea is not to trivialise racism or say "look, people care about their rights but not ours!", it just makes people aware of what kind injustice they may be ignoring.
I'm sorry if I pointed out the obvious there and you still disagree. Is this the kind of thing that gets threads locked?

pwhodges · « **Reply #381 on:** 03 Jul 2011, 05:03 »

There is no objection to thoughtful debate, in passing (indeed, I have contributed in this one). Serious debates go in the Discuss! forum - but you can't see that until you have 100 posts.

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #382 on:** 03 Jul 2011, 11:09 »

It has not gotten personal, which is something that would have made it a problem if it had happened.

gangler · « **Reply #383 on:** 03 Jul 2011, 12:45 »

I hope I'm not breaking the rules by chipping in for this. Just thought I'd say that I got referred to as "They" pretty recently and there wasn't any confusion about who the guy was talking about. Seemed to flow pretty naturally and since I'm not a linguist and don't really get the science of it that's all I can really think of that seems important. Can't see anyone I know using a term that they knew would require an explanation or sound dorkish when there's a more casual way of expressing their thoughts.

I mean, I'm not studied on the subject. Most of that article went right over my head. Didn't even recognize most of the terms he was talking about, so I'm not sure how much my thoughts are worth here but I just thought I'd share the story. I think I would have had to run a google search if the guy had called me xe or something.

pwhodges · « **Reply #384 on:** 03 Jul 2011, 15:25 »

Quote from: gangler on 03 Jul 2011, 12:45

Seemed to flow pretty naturally

That's actually quite crucial. It is very hard to change language in any planned way, even in specialist areas, and to do it for something as ubiquitous as pronouns is simply not going to happen easily at all. So there is a considerable argument for accepting and encouraging the de facto solution which is a first step along the road, rather than rejecting it in favour of a radical change that is quite likely never to happen at all (but which might have more chance after a first step has been taken).

jwhouk · « **Reply #385 on:** 03 Jul 2011, 18:02 »

"English doesn't borrow from other languages. English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over, and goes through their pockets for loose grammar." - Anonymous

DSL · « **Reply #386 on:** 03 Jul 2011, 20:37 »

Quote from: jwhouk on 03 Jul 2011, 18:02

"English doesn't borrow from other languages. English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over, and goes through their pockets for loose grammar." - Anonymous

Oh, so that's where Diane Duane stole it.

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #387 on:** 03 Jul 2011, 21:33 »

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/James_Nicoll

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Poll

Moment of the Week:

Author Topic: WCDT: 27th June - 1st July (1956-1960) (Read 84822 times)

TheEvilDog

TheEvilDog