good ones, anyway..................

 

Someone says life is hard.

The comedian says, "Compared to what?"

Comedians are philosophers.

-Derek Sivers

inexplicable....................

 I will not attempt to sound the depths of psychoanalysis to explain human behavior, which is inexplicable as life itself.  More than sex or infantile aberrations, I believe that most of our ideational compulsions stem from atavistic causes—however, I did not have to read books to know that the theme of life is conflict and pain.  Instinctively, all my clowning was based on this.  My means of contriving comedy plot was simple.  It was the process of getting people in and out of trouble.

-Charles Chaplin, My Autobiography

Reading.........................

      I'm not sure I ever would have learned to read if it weren't for the heroes I met and saw in comic books.  Regular books couldn't hold my attention at all, but my fascination with comics drove me to keep pushing myself until I could read their stories without waiting for someone else to read them to me.  I would read them by flashlight under my covers late at night.  Those stories gave me hope that one person could overcome impossible odds.

      My favorite superheroes growing up were the X-Men, not because they were the strongest, but because they were misunderstood and weirdly different.  I felt I could relate to them.  They were mutants, they didn't fit into society, and people who didn't understand them shunned them.  That was me, minus the superpowers.  The X-Men were outcasts, and so was I.  I belonged in their world.

-Jim Kwik, Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster. and Unlock Your Exceptional Life

I never had a problem reading as a youngster, but comic books were a staple anyway.  I remember reading by flashlight too.  Amazing how much pleasure 10 cents could bring.  Never was an X-Man fan, but here are a few of my favorites:

Don't try this at home..................

Fifty years ago..............................

On the television...................The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

 

Important questions..........

reference point is here

Catching up with some older issues..........

............of The Economist, I learned that Dick Gregory passed from the scene last month. Gregory was a pioneer in the stand-up comedy world, and a very funny man. Mostly, however, I remember his passion for protest and political activism, and his hunger strikes.   More here.

 

Saving the planet.....................

..................an Earth Day tradition.  Never fails to make me laugh.

We don't have znurg'naq (unfortunately).......

via SMBC

Those were the days my friend............

Not seeing my long-ago favorite comic book, however:

first image via

Feels like we're close to taking a day off........

Fifty years ago.....................

Comic books..................................