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Mensans v Non-Mensans
Jill, at Feministe, makes a blog post ridiculing a comment that uses Mensa membership to validate a fondness for the Cathy comic strip.

The first comment starts off with a defense of Mensa and an earnest explanation of what it means to be a genius. But soon comments erupt criticizing all standard tests, defending standardized tests and Mensa, along with accusations of ableism, lamenting the loneliness and social ostracization that is the lot of smart people and horror at Jill's very appalling anti-intellectualism.

SweetMachine nicely rounds up the kerfuffle: Way to fight the good fight, Mensa lovers! Put that genius to work!

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	tetradecimal 2010-08-18 12:50 pm UTC (link)
	On behalf of Cathy fans everywhere, I would like to say: CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE! AACK! (Reply to this)(Thread)

	cygnia 2010-08-18 03:13 pm UTC (link)
	Suddenly I am reminded of the commercials Cathy did shilling salads for McDonald's with an animated Mike Ditka back in the 80's. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	tetradecimal 2010-08-18 03:32 pm UTC (link)
	Were the jokes better in the 80s? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	cygnia 2010-08-18 03:44 pm UTC (link)
	I can't honestly say. I'd be looking through the lenses of elementary school and neon bracelets. Also, Irving and Andrea bore a striking resemblance to each other back then... (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

tetradecimal
2010-08-18 03:48 pm UTC (link)

I remember when I was a kid, I would read every single comic strip (except a select few, like the one with Confederate soldiers exploding) in the comics section. Even Mary Worth. I read years of Cathy without ever understanding the (approximately three different) jokes.

It does surprise me that they used her to sell things, and not, I don't know, Calvin or Elly Johnston.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	lindentreeisle 2010-08-18 04:37 pm UTC (link)
	Watterson wouldn't have let them use Calvin to sell anything. He wouldn't even let them merchandise at all. Elly Johnston, I can't explain. ;) (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	rosehiptea 2010-08-19 04:38 am UTC (link)
	That doesn't stop every other car I see from having a picture of Calvin peeing stuck to the back window. I always suspected Watterson wasn't getting any money out of that. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	lindentreeisle 2010-08-19 05:33 pm UTC (link)
	Yeah, those are all bootleg. I think Watterson was once quoted as saying something like, "Obviously I vastly underestimated people's desire to see Calvin urinating on the Ford logo." (Reply to this)(Parent)

	rosehiptea 2010-08-19 04:38 am UTC (link)
	Confederate soldiers exploding Huh? Must have been after my time. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	tetradecimal 2010-08-19 03:49 pm UTC (link)
	There was some sort of history comic in the Sunday section of the Washington Post. I think it usually consisted of a large panel or two and some explanatory text about [insert event in colonial American history here]. (Reply to this)(Parent)

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