Peanuts

When you're very little (like 5) you watch Peanuts (Charlie Brown) cartoons and it's a little bewildering. There are lots of kids who are all virtually identical except for having different haircuts and t-shirts. They all talk as though they're adults to the point where there is no need for adults in the cartoon. So, the main story is just not accessible to little kids. 

Luckily, there's Snoopy. He doesn't say anything, he just does what he feels. When things get dull, he escapes into a world of fantasy (Red Baron, Joe Cool). Little kids can relate to the bewildered, fantasy-addled Snoopy. In fact, they love him. You've never seen a plush Charlie Brown but you could choke the grand canyon with soft cute Snoopy dolls. 

We spend years watching Snoopy's hijinks while the Peanuts characters are just background noise. But sooner or later, you start thinking about what Charlie Brown is really all about, the sheer sad disappointment of life. Unrequited love, perpetual failure, cruel statements, competing circles of friends are all the substantive material for this "children's" show. Charlie Brown and the gang become a cartoon boot camp for kids about to enter the real world or junior high (whichever comes first).

I have to extend a hearty thanks to Charles Schultz for this shell game that traded the whimsical for the existential. It allowed me, when life dealt me it's first cruel blows that my parents couldn't fix, to find the right words: "Good Grief!"

- Russ and Mike of barelylegalblog.blogspot.com

Post-Trinity

"It is perfectly obvious that the whole world is going to hell. The only possible chance that it might not is that we do not attempt to prevent it from doing so." - Robert Oppenheimer

Made-to-Measure

At My.Suit NYC, friendly metrosexual tailors offer a personable groping and measuring service with a healthy smattering of questions administered whilst pointing at conservative cartoons of soulless well groomed males. A week later, you are graced with newly minted garments.

HFA Hector Shits, Poodle, and PCL Steve step inside where they are greeted by SAM* Tailor.

SAM: "...and sir, when would you like to make an appointment?"
HFA: "I don't give a fuck!"
(SAM suggests 11am Monday)
HFA: "No, this is when I typically go to the bar."
PCL: "Could we check out your ties?"
SAM: "Our ties are all really shitty."
HFA: "Smoke?"

*Disambiguation: SAM = small Asian man