October 6, 2016

At the Rat Café...

IMG_0066

... you can talk about anything you want.

(All rats were drawn by me, in quick succession, using my fingertip in the new iPhone messaging software which lets you send drawings instead of typed words. I started drawing rats after Meade incorrectly identified some squiggle I'd sent as a rat.)

104 comments:

sojerofgod said...

Are these rats legitimate?
or are they rat bastards?

Jon Ericson said...

If I were a rat, I'd like #2 to represent me to all quadrillion rats to come.
Very Thurber-esque

sojerofgod said...

Thurber.
Man that takes me back.
Ok, show of hands!
How many know who James Thurber was?

sojerofgod said...

OR Robert Benchley?

Paddy O said...

I call #4 Picasso rat.

Rob said...

It's so rarely we see a group picture of the Hillary Clinton campaign leadership.

David53 said...

#2 looks like Mr Burns.

Sydney said...

Watch out, rats. The ad underneath you is for D-con.

Jon Ericson said...

OK
#1 Dino
#2 James
#3 fido
#4 Maybellene
#5 sleepy
#6 devolved sleepy
#7 Mickey!

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

You're improving.

Michelle Dulak Thomson said...

Only Nos. 5 and 6 even look remotely like rats.

Michelle Dulak Thomson said...

I know who James Thurber was. "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" alone earns him immortality. But his cartoons were almost as good as his prose.

Etienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jon Ericson said...

What about "Is Sex Necessary?"

Michelle Dulak Thomson said...

The Rat Cafe reminds me of Rat Park, an experiment in detox, basically. If you put one rat in a cage with two bottles, one plain water and one spiked with cocaine/heroin/I forget what, the rat drinks the spiked water until it dies. If, OTOH, you put it in a cage full of slides and toys and other fun stuff and -- this is important -- a bunch of other rats, it will ignore the spiked water altogether.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

2nd one down - Bart Simpson's pet rat.

cubanbob said...

16 comments so far and not one mention of the Queen Rat Hillary.

Jon Ericson said...

Bart could sure pick 'em!

JOB said...

I think we are in rats’ alley
Where the dead men lost their bones...

And:

Mithridates, He Died Old…

I
The cool redundant columns. Echo’s bark
From hills above the ruins. Shepherd’s call
Still further up the dusty slopes. The stark
Reply of time to history’s rise and fall.

II
So love is nothing if not temporary
And shadows have our hands behind them –
We push them hard and dig the scenery,
Dialogue’s own ad hoc mausoleum.

The nimble rats compose their feet and make
Mosaics, random, intentional, lost
As scriptures left to rot beneath the strake
And blast of days reduced as grain to dust.

I take your eyes for granite. Watch me switch
Out clocks for more notorious emblems –
The rings upon our fingers. Watch us clutch
At minutes, hours – pride’s failed museums.

III
The glassy crack of marble. Rust at play
With iron’s age. Collected skulls, a gloss
On bones that counted. Killing time this way,
The finger taps within its golden compass.

Jon Ericson said...

"Why so serious, man?"

Jon Ericson said...

It's not like it's the end of the world.

Unknown said...

You think you drew rats, but one identifies as a mouse, and at least 3 others are politicians.

David said...

Tim Kaine really had an impact on you.

Etienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jon Ericson said...

Careful... ya gotta watch out for the "Dream Police"!

William said...

If you were casting a younger Donald Trump in the movie version of The Great Gatsby, would you cast him as Gatsby or Buchanan? I can see elements of both characters in his make up.

Jon Ericson said...

Elizabeth Taylor vs. Jon Voight.

Sprezzatura said...

Is this the thread where we express disappointment w/ DJT?

On September 25 I received an email from the DJT campaign saying that my "HRC for prison" bobble head had shipped.

Why hasn't it arrived?

Jon Ericson said...

I never got my Hillary nutcracker either.

buwaya said...

Thurbers "Walter Mitty" stuff, and others, was in our Catholic school readers; also Saki (H H Munro).

Nothing as cool can be found in the schools today.

Sprezzatura said...

I double checked.

I ordered it on the 25th, the email saying it shipped was on the 29th.

Even so, where is it?

Sprezzatura said...

It better not be on a slow boat from Gina.

Sprezzatura said...

They give away the things at some baseball games. And, I paid nearly $40 for mine.

Shouldn't that cost cover a reasonable amount of time for shipping?

OTOH, when I ordered it I did receive an email saying it was 1 to 2 weeks backordered, so the shipment was ahead of that. But, don't tell me it's on the way when it doesn't seem to be on the way.

Jon Ericson said...

(sigh) First world problems.

Unknown said...

Very interesting, but rats? What inspired you? Must get my sleep, more jury duty tomorrow.

Jon Ericson said...

Damn that's tough!
But deliberate. (that is, the charges)
Sentencing is another thing.
Moar warehouses!

Earnest Prole said...

You and Jack Nicholson in Martin Scorsese’s The Departed

Jon Ericson said...

ME and Jack Nicholson!?

Jon Ericson said...

Me and Unk#55, Growl, Snarl, Rawr etc.

bagoh20 said...

The acid should be wearing off in a few more hours, but for now, enjoy the ride.

Jon Ericson said...

That is funny.

Jon Ericson said...

Sleepy-head losers. Awake!

eddie willers said...

#5
"I've been sick".

Sprezzatura said...

Ok, there had to be repercussions. Maybe the average "HRC for prison" bobble head purcherser is on board w/ being F-ed w/. But not me.

While I'll never give HRC dough. And, I won't vote for her since my state is already for her which means I can go Johnson w/o implicitly supporting DJT. I did order an Icky Trump shirt form The White Stripes (and I picked up another one shirt too). Not that I'll ever wear either shirt, but it can hang out in a drawer w/ my "Drums Sax & Big Gigantic" shirt.

And, I paid more than $33 to have it FedExed overnight.

So the race is on: DJT v Stripes.

Jon Ericson said...

C'mon Oregon!
C'mon Washington!
C'mon California!
It's only fricken 10 o'clock!

or is this only a midwest thing?

Jon Ericson said...

Where is my girl tonight?

MacMacConnell said...

Rats remind me of squirrels, squirrels being the suburban version of rats. I know from my dog's point of view squirrels are tennis balls thrown by the hand of God, but they are tearing the shit out of my lawn. Anyone know of a cheap air pistol capable of a head shot at say ten yards?

Michael K said...

My wife has her "Hillary Prison 2016" sticker on her car. I think she might be safe because most Hillary supporters don't notice it is not a pro-Hillary sticker.

Sprezzatura said...

Here's how libs email:

"Thank you for your order from Third Man Records. It really made our day. Dare we say it was magic."

And DJT:

"Your order is on the way to you."

The less BS-magic thing seems better to me. OTOH, where's my bobble head?

Sprezzatura said...

I hope that DJT thing I ordered wasn't a scam. I did find it from one of the links an Althouse hillbilly posted in one of these threads.

I'm assuming that scams don't usually send followup emails, like I've recieved. And, the account I used hasn't been drained, yet.

Anywho, time will tell.

Jon Ericson said...

I have my "Molon Labe",
"2A",
"God bless our troops Especially our snipers"
The "comply" sticker that sticks it to "coexist"
aaaannnd that's it currently.
What's on YOUR bumper?

Sprezzatura said...

In 08 I saw a brand new Bentley w/ a BHO sticker. In Seattle.

Sprezzatura said...

I once had a McCain yard sign. In 2000.

Sprezzatura said...

In fact, I still have that yard sign.

Jon Ericson said...

So, desiccated brain, huh?

Sprezzatura said...

That or too much crack.

Sprezzatura said...

Could be both.

Jon Ericson said...

So, all you Netflix type people:

Ah! they're watching Justice winning over Corruption! Yay!

Does it help you cope?

Chuck said...

Thanks for this clever post. I like your drawing! Put that BFA to good use!

Jon Ericson said...

Chuck, you are outta your mind.

Jon Ericson said...

Fun in the Sun

Virgil Hilts said...

why draw when you can type <:3 ) ~~~~~

MayBee said...

I love all the new messaging toys.
How did you save and reproduce your rats here?

Humperdink said...

In an instant, the movie King Rat came to mind.

Bumper stickers on my truck? Also "Molon Labe", along with "NRA Life Member" and "TitanExtreme Crossbow".

Speaking of crossbows, I was in the woods last evening as archery season opened Saturday. Within 10 minutes, a bambiette sauntered by within 15 yards. I let her pass as there was noise coming from behind her. Hoping for a four-legged sexual predator. But alas, nothing.

Best time of year to be in the woods.

tim in vermont said...

I did find it from one of the links an Althouse hillbilly

I wonder why whites are drifting away from the Democrats...

rhhardin said...

So far this hurricane is a huge disappointment.

Rick said...

Jon Ericson, those drawings, indeed, look Very Thurber-esque!

Sojerofgod, I'm raising my hand in the Horshack fashion. I own two books by Thurber, "My Life and Hard Times", and "The White Deer".

rhhardin said...

You'd think a gnu would be a rodent.

rhhardin said...

The lines are too heavy for Thurber.

E B White went over some of them, but it wasn't Thurber's doing.

rhhardin said...

I trapped a field rat in a hav-a-heart trap and gave it to a guy with a python, who wanted to strengthen his pet store rat line.

He reported that all the rats were pregnant and the Nazi rat, as he called it, had ghewed his way out and escaped.

MadisonMan said...

Getting nothing done. Just watching Matthew.

So far this hurricane is a huge disappointment.

How many people did you want it to kill in Haiti?

CStanley said...

Several of them look more like rat terriers than rats, but drawing with fingertips is hard.

CStanley said...

We had a rat infestation a few years ago. Traps didn't work so we put out poison in the garage, and a few days later encountered the largest rat I'd ever seen doing his impression of the death scene of the rat king in the Nutcracker. It was horrifying and hilarious at the same time.

wildswan said...

I made a Jackson Pollock with iphone colored lines and sent it with bubbles. First in family to discover and implement this vital new technique. Thanks.

MadisonMan said...

Rat pictures always make me think of this:

They fought the dogs and killed the cats,
And bit the babies in the cradles,
And ate the cheeses out of the vats,
And licked the soup from the cooks’ own ladle’s,
Split open the kegs of salted sprats,
Made nests inside men’s Sunday hats,
And even spoiled the women’s chats
By drowning their speaking
With shrieking and squeaking
In fifty different sharps and flats.


Is this still taught in school?

wildswan said...

I plan to send a few more Jackson Pollocks with messages: "This is my brain scan - do you think I should worry?"

"I got this in my e-mail with a message saying I would have bad luck if I didn't pass it on. What does it mean?"

"This came today from the Hillary campaign together with thanks for my donation. I did not donate. Should I complain or be glad she left anything in my account?" A Deplorable

Laslo Spatula said...

" I started drawing rats after Meade incorrectly identified some squiggle I'd sent as a rat.)"

What was the CORRECT identification of the squiggle?


I am The Replacement Laslo.

sojerofgod said...

@Madison Man:

Are you kidding? Poetry that doesn't advance the narrative isn't allowed comrade. you need to update yourself with the daily Pravda so as to homogenize your thinking.

sojerofgod said...

Daily Droppings from the Bullpen is another good read for SJW types

rhhardin said...

So far this hurricane is a huge disappointment.

How many people did you want it to kill in Haiti?


It would have to be in the tens of thousands in Haiti to move the entertainment meter.

Ignorance is Bliss said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ignorance is Bliss said...

Do it to her.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

The contrast between the reading comprehension of dumb Unknown and witty Laslo is revealed in their comments.

What was the correct interpretation, Althouse?

wildswan said...

The hurricane is a huge disappointment to Hillary who planned to use it for climate change agit prop. But notice that according to its latest map it might circle around and hit Florida. It's also interesting to see how bad Haiti looks and how their crisis is being downplayed probably because it might cause people to ask how the Clinton Foundation has helped Haiti. Also the hurricane disaster is being called a "humanitarian event". I'm not sure where this way of talking about flattened houses and lost lives comes from but I know a bureaucrat or a PR man is in there. Perhaps it's the correct data base term for a line in the Red Cross budget in 2016.

wildswan said...

Coming events:
The fund raising event at MOMA December 2016 related to the Humanitarian event in Haiti October 2016 is expected to raise millions for the climate change event at Davos 2017

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

This also occurred to me:

Willard.

But apparently they remade the movie with the super creepy Crispin Glover a dozen years ago.

Ben, you'll always have a place to go...

Laslo Spatula said...

The fifth one is Dean Martin.

The fourth one is Sammy Davis Jr.

Which one is Frank Sinatra?


I am The Replacement Laslo.

rhhardin said...

Hearne's Law : whenever there's a stink about something in the news, it's because some politician or charity wants that stink in the news.

Laslo Spatula said...

The Evolution of Rat Drawing.

Tail as an outline: one through three.

Tail as a single line: four through seven.

Legs as an outline: one through three.

Legs as a single line: four through seven.

Rats with discernible feet: six and seven.

Happy Rat: seven.

Rats with lipstick: four only. Obviously a dead end.


I am The Replacement Laslo.

MadisonMan said...

Haiti's problem now is cholera (from what I've read). Well, that and retrieving the dead. If cholera deaths can be storm-attributed, perhaps rhhardin's 10K+ mark can be reached.

Unknown said...

Mr. Ericson (if you self-identify as Mr.), I bought a Hillary Nutcracker last Christmas at Half-Price Books (before the silly season) for my liberal Jewish Professor friend who now has $400 on Trump.

Laslo Spatula said...

Althouse drew rats.

Georgia O'Keefe painted beavers.

Yep.


I am The Replacement Laslo.

rhhardin said...

Haiti's problem now is cholera (from what I've read). Well, that and retrieving the dead. If cholera deaths can be storm-attributed, perhaps rhhardin's 10K+ mark can be reached.

You have to have realistic eyeball count judgment. That's your product.

Laslo Spatula said...

My whimsy is lost on Althouse.

Rats.


I am The Replacement Laslo.

rhhardin said...

The trouble with hyped storms that don't flatten neighborhoods is that you have trouble getting eyeballs the next time. You get mocked.

rhhardin said...

Already reporters standing in the wind is a belittled cliche.

sane_voter said...

This storm was/is way overhyped. They kept talking about wind speeds of 130-140 mph and a CAT 4 storm, and when it was going over the Bahamas, I never saw a documented sustained wind speed anything greater than tropical storm force. My location was supposed to get sustained speeds of 50+ mph and we got nothing unusual and rare gusts maybe got to tropical storm force. What a farce.

rhhardin said...

Haiti also has a before and after problem with storm damage.

chickelit said...

wildswan said...
Coming events:
The fund raising event at MOMA December 2016 related to the Humanitarian event in Haiti October 2016 is expected to raise millions for the climate change event at Davos 2017


That's a private jet only event, right?

MacMacConnell said...

rhhardin said...
"Already reporters standing in the wind is a belittled cliche."

That's how Dan Rather got his start in Texas, his career ended badly in Texas.

eddie willers said...

Haiti also has a before and after problem with storm damage.

Look at a Google Earth shot of Hispaniola.

You can tell where the border is without having the lines drawn in.

Michelle Dulak Thomson said...

MadisonMan,

I do remember that poem from school, but not who wrote it. ... oh, Browning. Of course. Sorry.

Rockport Conservative said...

I like your rats. They show interesting personality.

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

Are those the "Begley Rats"?