• xkcd and Peanuts: $10 ain't what it used to be

    From Timothy Chow@21:1/5 to All on Sat Feb 10 17:27:46 2024
    The current xkcd comic concerns the line, "It's one banana, Michael.
    What could it cost? $10?"

    https://xkcd.com/2892/

    As the explainxkcd website says, the line "is a line from an Arrested Development episode (Season 1, Episode 6, "Charity Drive", 2003) that
    became well known as a meme used to mock out-of-touch elites."

    The comic reminds me of the July 4, 1959 Peanuts strip, whose punch
    line depends on the absurdity that a haircut could cost as much as
    ten dollars.

    https://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1959/07/04

    Back in 1959, I'd guess that a haircut would cost only $1 or $2. Does
    anybody here remember how much they actually paid for a haircut back
    then?

    ---
    Tim Chow

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  • From Your Name@21:1/5 to Timothy Chow on Sun Feb 11 12:30:14 2024
    On 2024-02-10 22:27:46 +0000, Timothy Chow said:

    The current xkcd comic concerns the line, "It's one banana, Michael.
    What could it cost? $10?"

    https://xkcd.com/2892/

    As the explainxkcd website says, the line "is a line from an Arrested Development episode (Season 1, Episode 6, "Charity Drive", 2003) that
    became well known as a meme used to mock out-of-touch elites."

    The comic reminds me of the July 4, 1959 Peanuts strip, whose punch
    line depends on the absurdity that a haircut could cost as much as
    ten dollars.

    https://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1959/07/04

    Back in 1959, I'd guess that a haircut would cost only $1 or $2. Does
    anybody here remember how much they actually paid for a haircut back
    then?

    According to this article, a haircut cost US$1.25 in 1958 when the
    baraber first started cutting hair (and petrol cost US25c per gallon). <https://archive.knoxnews.com/entertainment/life/barber-sees-lots-of-changes-since-1958---like-125-haircut-ep-410736942-359700091.html>


    I use a no-appointement chain of stores for my haircuts. When I started
    going there about 30 years ago it cost NZ$18 (US$11) ... now it costs
    about NZ$36 (US$22), Nothing has changed, it's still the same
    basic-style haircut. :-(

    But, it's the same with pretty much everything else. Prices just keep
    going up and up. A chocolate bar that used to cost 50c now costs $3.50,
    and often it's now smaller in size. etc., etc., etc. :-(

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  • From Your Name@21:1/5 to Timothy Chow on Sun Feb 11 13:44:21 2024
    On 2024-02-10 22:27:46 +0000, Timothy Chow said:

    The current xkcd comic concerns the line, "It's one banana, Michael.
    What could it cost? $10?"

    https://xkcd.com/2892/

    As the explainxkcd website says, the line "is a line from an Arrested Development episode (Season 1, Episode 6, "Charity Drive", 2003) that
    became well known as a meme used to mock out-of-touch elites."

    The comic reminds me of the July 4, 1959 Peanuts strip, whose punch
    line depends on the absurdity that a haircut could cost as much as
    ten dollars.

    https://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1959/07/04

    Back in 1959, I'd guess that a haircut would cost only $1 or $2. Does
    anybody here remember how much they actually paid for a haircut back
    then?

    It reminds me of this joke ... :-)


    "$10 is $10"
    ------------
    Every year, John and his wife Mary would go to the State Fair.
    And every year, John would say, "Mary, I'd like to ride in
    that there airplane."

    And every year, Mary would reply, "I know, John, but that
    airplane ride costs $10, and $10 is $10."

    This year John and Mary went to the State Fair and he said,
    "Mary, I'm 71 years old. If I don't ride that airplane this
    year I may never get another chance."

    As usual, Mary replied, "John, that there airplane ride costs
    $10, and $10 is $10."

    The pilot overheard them and said, "Folks, I'll make you a
    deal. I'll take you both up for a ride. If you can stay quiet
    for the entire ride and not say one word, I won't charge you
    anything, but if either of you says one word, then it's $10."

    After a bit of a discussion, John and Mary agreed, and up they
    went. The pilot performed all kinds of twists and turns, rolls
    and dives, but not a word is heard. He even does a nose dive,
    pulling up 15 feet above the ground, but still not a word.

    They land and the pilot turns to John, "By golly, I did
    everything I could think of to get you to yell out, but you
    didn't."

    John replied, "Well, I was gonna say something when Mary fell
    out ... but $10 *is* $10!"

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  • From Timothy Chow@21:1/5 to Your Name on Sun Feb 18 12:21:34 2024
    On 2/10/2024 6:30 PM, Your Name wrote:
    On 2024-02-10 22:27:46 +0000, Timothy Chow said:

    The current xkcd comic concerns the line, "It's one banana, Michael.
    What could it cost? $10?"

    https://xkcd.com/2892/

    As the explainxkcd website says, the line "is a line from an Arrested
    Development episode (Season 1, Episode 6, "Charity Drive", 2003) that
    became well known as a meme used to mock out-of-touch elites."

    The comic reminds me of the July 4, 1959 Peanuts strip, whose punch
    line depends on the absurdity that a haircut could cost as much as
    ten dollars.

    https://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1959/07/04

    Back in 1959, I'd guess that a haircut would cost only $1 or $2. Does
    anybody here remember how much they actually paid for a haircut back
    then?

    According to this article, a haircut cost US$1.25 in 1958 when the
    baraber first started cutting hair (and petrol cost US25c per gallon). <https://archive.knoxnews.com/entertainment/life/barber-sees-lots-of-changes-since-1958---like-125-haircut-ep-410736942-359700091.html>

    That's a great article, especially since it involves a $10 haircut!
    Thanks for sharing.

    ---
    Tim Chow

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