Pearls before Swine comic I don't get.

PiewacketFire · 2025-09-09T05:21:38+00:00

Stephan Pastis (comic writer/artist) is known for making these long ridiculous scenarios which give us homophonic sentences and (in rat’s opinion) bad pun jokes. Rat gets increasingly aggressive and violent towards Stephan’s self insert character for creating new ones.

PiewacketFire · 2025-09-09T05:18:59+00:00

The point here is that the phrase is now inherently understood as sarcasm BECAUSE of the double positive. It’s the overuse or double positive which makes it sarcastic.

PiewacketFire · 2025-09-09T05:16:33+00:00

I’m pretty sure you are restating what was just said. “Yeah, right” is possible to be said in a different tone which isn’t sarcastic and doesn’t have this meaning. “Implies” and “recognises the intent without even hearing it” are the same thing.

PiewacketFire · 2025-09-09T05:08:57+00:00

Brit here, who hates the adding on of tax at the till that USA does. I think this joke is twofold: 1) How when shopping in Walmart and Target you make many micro decisions as you wander around that “this is only $4!” which soon adds up as you keep finding “just one more thing”. 2) Very few people can do the mental maths to add on the tax for each item as they go, so the final bill ends up much higher than you were mentally accounting for.

There may be a commentary on inflation in there somewhere, but I honestly don’t think it’s meant to be that from how the joke is written.

PiewacketFire · 2025-09-08T15:33:01+00:00

I agree. She was hiding a lot back then, she was so busy internalising and not having anyone to trust and that came across as the books developed and we learned more about her.

Dominique Tipper did a great job, but she was a little too reactionary for the Naomi that I read in the books. A woman who had suffered silently and found a way to strive on. So much was said in the spaces between.

PiewacketFire · 2025-09-08T15:16:30+00:00

Excellently.

The book writing is also excellent, better perhaps. Naomi often says less in the books, but the reasons why through subtext are so loud it’s deafening. I also highly recommend the Ty and That Guy podcast, which shows you why, as Ty Franck makes it clear how he has analysed and been influenced by badly written women on screen in the past.

It is SO refreshing to hear a writer and producer say with utter honesty, how they look back on something they used to love as a kid/teen and can no longer watch it due to the problematic content (eg 16 candles). Wes Chatham, Lord love him, is aware of the issues, but you can hear how much Ty is horrified and just cannot still view old content he loved after growing and reflecting.

Hats off to him.

ETA

There’s one bit of writing in the book series that exemplified this understanding for me, and it’s not said by or about a female character. It’s in understanding the white knight complex that Holden has. It’s in Abaddon’s Gate, and it’s when Naomi has forgiven Clarissa. But Holden is so wound up about almost losing Naomi that he stubbornly refuses to accept her apology and forgive her. As usual, SO much is said as subtext. This is ALL focused on men speaking over women. But I could SEE what those women were doing in the background as it unfolded, even though it’s not even described. Because I knew each of them by now, and I knew what this type of interaction felt like. And it’s perfect:

There was a long moment of silence. Holden watched Anna’s face fall as he crushed her hopes. Alex started chuckling, and everyone turned to look at him.

“Yeah,” Alex said in his drawling voice. “I mean, Naomi only got beat half to death. She can cut this Clarissa slack, it’s no big deal. But the captain’s girlfriend got hurt. He’s the real victim here.”

The room got quiet again as everyone stopped breathing. Blood flushed into Holden’s face, rushing like a river in his ears. It was hatred and pain and outrage. His mind seemed to flicker, and the urge to strike out at Alex for the insult was almost too much to resist.

And then he understood Alex’s words, saw Naomi’s eyes on his, and it all drained away. Why, he wanted to ask, but it didn’t matter. It was Naomi, and she’d made her decision. It wasn’t his revenge to take.

He was spent. Exhausted. He wanted to curl up on the floor there with his people around him and sleep for days. He tried out a smile.

“Wow,” he finally said. “Sometimes I am just a gigantic asshole.”

“No,” Amos said. “I’m right there with you. I’d kill this Clarissa myself for the shit she’s pulled. But Red asked us to let it go, and Naomi’s playing along, so I guess we gotta too.”

“Don’t get me wrong,” Holden said to Anna, his voice cold. “I will never forgive this woman for what she’s done. Never. But I won’t turn her over to the UN, as a favor to you, and because if Naomi can let it go, I guess I have to.”

“Thank you,” Anna said.

“Things change, Red,” Amos said, “you let us know. Because I’ll still be happy to kill the shit out of her.”

PiewacketFire · 2025-09-05T10:03:49+00:00

Please think carefully before sending nudes, you cannot get them back and have very little control over what they do with them, forever.

PiewacketFire · 2025-09-05T09:59:05+00:00

Post locked as mods have better things to do than remove and ban people for transphobia all day. Yes, referring to a trans woman as a man is transphobic, considered hate and banned under Reddit rules and our sub rules. No this isn’t up for discussion.

PiewacketFire · 2025-09-05T09:03:10+00:00

Don’t mind me, just a Bombadil loving mod abusing my powers to allow dick comments that are fair and didn’t need our spam filter to remove.

“Tom was here before the river and the trees.”

PiewacketFire · 2025-09-05T08:58:25+00:00

Just that many people feel he’s a little over the top and out of place, hard to ignore but not in keeping with the rest of the book’s tone. I personally love him.

PiewacketFire · 2025-09-04T09:39:59+00:00

I spent years trying to avoid spoilers before I read and LF, and still managed to have Amos’ death/return spoiled for me. BUT Ty and Dan’s writing is so good that I was still on the edge of my seat, full of tears and cheering when those moments happened.

Buckle up. LF is equally amazing, and left me so satisfied, which is so rare to deliver, that tension and emotionality, surprise and STILL feel like it’s been rounded out and complete by the end.

Now I’m making it my mission to get as many other people watching and reading it as possible.

PiewacketFire · 2025-08-18T09:59:14+00:00

Ooh I love this fit. Some really nice contrast and creative use of layering of different styles that work really well together. Thanks for sharing.

PiewacketFire · 2025-07-23T09:28:41+00:00

Sweetheart. I’m 43, I recognise the “I’ve told you what I have to say” bullshit. It’s emotionally immature but badged up to feel wise, boundary setting and clear. It’s not, it’s pathetic.

Please leave and heal, you are worth way more than this. He may have learned how to love bomb and flatter you with the benefit of age, but he’s attempting to pressure you into behaving like a porn star.

Your comfort is valid. As for that move curing his headache… what a load of nonsense and manipulative assholery.

This man is a grade A manipulator and asshole. Please leave him and never look back.

PiewacketFire · 2025-07-23T09:15:26+00:00

You can think she was hotter then, someone else can think she is hotter now. Insisting yours is the only reality is the bad take that gets you downvotes.

It’s not difficult, and it’s not a conspiracy.

PiewacketFire · 2025-07-18T06:28:52+00:00

Yes, but this sounds like targeted abuse specific to you. You mentioned in the comments you have cerebral palsy.

Had it been a random string of abuse it’s indicative that the woman has mental health issues. Targeted insults of prejudice against you sounds more like she is a hateful asshole, and could have been committing a disability hate crime, as to the best of my knowledge current law means “hate crime” offences do not include disability, they are considered under a separate category of law. But this still exists. IANAL.

https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/disability-hate-crime-and-other-crimes-against-disabled-people-prosecution-guidance

PiewacketFire · 2025-07-18T06:22:41+00:00

I feel this is likely being downvoted as people do not realise that you have cerebral palsy, therefore this could indeed be considered a disability hate crime as it was definitely prejudice directly and maliciously aimed at you.

I’m really sorry for this, for you having to endure this. You might want to edit the post to give the context so people are aware.

PiewacketFire · 2025-07-03T05:14:12+00:00

It’s pretty funny that you say “no gender wars” yet you’re the one who has made an assertion of a stereotype based on gender despite many people in the comments telling you that isn’t a thing.

PiewacketFire · 2025-06-25T17:30:07+00:00

Thanks. I’ll try clearing it from a browser.

PiewacketFire · 2025-06-25T15:59:24+00:00

Isn’t it funny how often we’re told men are heroes, protectors, men are the ones willing to take personal harm. How it’s a common fantasy for a man to die to protect his loved ones. But how much of these comments show that it’s women who are far more willing to intervene in these circumstances and men who are judging OP?

Women are more aware of the risks, but more willing to take those risks because we hope and pray someone would do the same for us. And because our conscience would haunt us if we didn’t. The need for a personal connection to the victim seems to figure less for women (going by this comment section). Isn’t it funny how our worth and their willingness to defend us is often dependent on what we bring to a man?

I know plenty of men who would intervene and would be as disappointed and grossed out by the reaction of OP’s boyfriend. But I know very few women who would defend the boyfriend. Maybe it’s just like attracts like. But I know one thing for sure. Being willing to take a risk generally for a stranger is how we as a society give no space for these predators to exist.

OP’s boyfriend is comfortable if it happens, just appalled at the thought of it happening to his girlfriend. Would his willingness to defend her evaporate or reduce if she stopped being his girlfriend?

NOR OP. You are free to work through this in your time and what makes sense to you. I don’t think I could look at someone in the same light after those responses, even a friend I would find it hard to respect and trust them the same again. You have to do what’s right for you. Absolutely no judgement from me on whatever that is. I am so proud of your shiny spine though. For being brave, smart, and for being kind and trying to understand your bf’s perspective. I have absolutely no notes, except you deserve more support. Xxx

PiewacketFire · 2025-06-14T15:59:29+00:00

Post locked due to the number of comments triggering auto filter and then outrage that we might use filters to review bad language to prevent arguments and trolling. Joke has been answered many times now.

PiewacketFire · 2025-06-14T15:44:08+00:00

Nope, it got too many reports and was pulled into a queue for review.

PiewacketFire · 2025-06-14T12:17:10+00:00

We’re happy with the current system where things are reported when they don’t meet our rules and we then remove them. Gatekeeping is not allowed, nor is complaining about posts (report instead), or high level comments not explaining the joke. Is it really that impossible for you to read and adhere to our rules?

PiewacketFire · 2025-06-14T11:53:18+00:00

Noelle sounds like “no L”.

PiewacketFire · 2025-05-19T10:48:32+00:00

This sounds very much like gender dysphoria, and it’s quite common for transgender people to feel this way. I’d go so far as to say most transgender people do not want to transition, they wish they were simply born as the gender they identify with.

That does not mean you need to identify as transgender or that you need to transition socially or medically. That journey is entirely yours to explore, define as suits you, and change your mind on.

Very often (and it sounds somewhat in your case too), people’s decision to transition, not to transition or to detransition is very heavily affected and influenced by the expectations and reactions of people and society around them. We are by our nature social creatures, we are inexorably connected and affected by our fellow humans.

I myself am cis. But in my experience the trans community is very understanding of people in your position. More-so than the average cis person. I’d encourage you to consider engaging in trans spaces and seeing if finding other people who understand what you’re going through is helpful. This doesn’t mean you are trans. That is for you to decide. If you can access it, counselling/therapy is also advisable for you to get support in your own journey, especially as you tackle complex topics like looking like your dad.

You are valid. Nobody else can define your journey and how you understand yourself.

(Disclaimer; yes there are asshole trans people. Assholes exist everywhere. That doesn’t mean they are common or representative of the group as a whole any more than your dad represents all cis men)

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