When I posted my earlier ‘toon and opinion/essay, a faithful reader (and personal friend of Pinky’s) referenced a ‘toon, written/drawn after the 2016 election. Another of the panda faithful (as well as a personal friend of Pinky’s) asked if I would re-post it,
Remember the song “The Eve of Destruction”? That’s what today feels like.
Stay safe, panda friends…
The day is here. We have pulled democracy back from the brink of disaster. I keep thinking about how I felt on11/9/2016. I was stunned with disbelief. How could this have happened? And yet, from the moment Trump came down his golden escalator, I had an unquiet rumble sounding in my head and my heart.
But we should take a moment to savor the sudden release many of us are feeling. It’s the feeling you get when you see the car coming into your lane with just enough time to avoid a collision. It’s the feeling you get when you are the last car on the ferry, for the last boat of the night. It’s the feeling you get when a growling dog rushes the fence, and you realize that the fence will hold him, even as you feel the rush of wind and adrenaline.
We have narrowly escaped a future that writers of dystopian fiction foretell, and a past that historians write about 1930’s Germany and Europe. Meanwhile we still have a growing pandemic to deal with. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are not magicians. They can not wave a magical wand (sorry Pinky) and poof it away. They believe in science. They will lead with compassion and knowledge. They will listen to the scientists and encourage people to act in their own interest. Maybe without the threat of Trumps rage and instability hanging over them, even red state governors will start acting in the best interest of their constituents.
So be of good cheer! We have vanquished the evil overlord, who would wish to be king. There is still hope for leveling the Senate playing field by winning the two runoff elections in January (Deadline to register to vote is December 7th, in Georgia, so if you live there, please vote!)
This was then:
Remember the song “The Eve of Destruction”? That’s what today feels like.
This is how we fought the forces of darkness:
Whats a protest without pandas?
Hey, save some cuppycakes for me!
What a lovely day for the 3 pandas to relax at home!
The world swoons….
Guess who’s coming for cuppycakes!!!!
“We are NEVER going to get our security deposit back!!!”
Ruh Roh….
Look who’s here!
And now, for the earthshaking subject of HUGE great importance…COOKIE BALANCING!
And now…going for the gold!!!
Did I mention I broke the world record in cookie balancing?
There are rules here!
The roar of the crowd, the smell of a freshly baked cookie…
Actual balancing cookie!
be the Bear!
Bob T Panda
Fabulous Furry Friday KNOWS that this is one of your favorites!
I don’t know about you, but my anxiety is ratcheted up to about an 11. If you haven’t voted yet, the time is now. Unfortunately, with the perverting of Postal imperatives, the safest way to vote is either in person or hand delivering your mail-in ballot. I’m trying really hard to remain hopeful. Some states are reporting that their early voting totals are higher than their total votes in 2016. How many new voters that represents, we won’t know for a while. One thing is sure, there is going to be full employment for election law attorneys.
Since I didn’t have a plan for today’s ‘toons (other than the “Spring Forward, Fall Back” ‘toon) I’m just going to randomly go through ‘toons I published in November for all the years that this collection has been here!
2011: Pandas arrive in Scotland!!!
What could be more scottish than Pandas?
2012: Insider Twinkie Trading
Bob, Bob, Bob…when will you ever learn?
2013: Heh! Mommee plays a trick on Pinky!
Oh Princess Pinky, mom has a trick or two up her paw, I think…
2014: Cats and Pandas
No, I don’t think so. Bwahahaha!
2015: Election shenanigans have been going on for a while.
And how did Pinky manage to hack into my computer again?
2016: Seems like such a long time ago, and yet…here we are…
Can I have EXTRA extra whipped cream?
2017: A Halloween Classic!
Maybe Bubba is having a Halloween SEASON! Did you ever think of THAT, Pinky?
2018: The first appearance of Frank and Mikey!!!
Send in the bears!
Helloooooo bears!
I like bears.
I just had to post the whole story about Frank and Mikey ALLEGEDLY eating Justice Kravenklaw… For another most excellent take of the Kavanaugh hearings, I think this is the best!
And finally, 2019: The Bus is coming! Get ready for some serious underbussing!
Our favorite grizzlies are doing “The Bus”!
Panda on (as best you can)
Bob T Panda
I just added 3 layer fitted masks to my Redbubble store! Here’s the ;ink where you can search for your favorite designs and see if the masks are available in that design (The formatting did not work for all designs, because of the fitted nature of the masks.) Mask up everyone!
It’s the time of year when little ghosts and goblins go marauding around neighborhoods demanding treats. Alas, not this year, I don’t think. But oddly enough, candy sales are UP! mI have *no* idea why that might be the case.
Trick or Trick!!!!!!!
Darn those Meihems!!!!
“It was just a suggestion”
Okay. That was just WAY too scary.
Ha ha! That Pinky is so clever!
Will Pinky EVER quit tormenting her brother?
trouble…trouble…trouble…It starts with “T” and that rhymes with “P” and that stands for Pinky!
Make sure Pinky doesn’t try to steal Bubba and Ping’s candy!
I can’t believe Bob’s costume didn’t fool anyone!
Panda On!
Bob T Panda
Pretty scary, huh?
This week we continue to wait to hear about the gender of our nation’s newest baby panda (XT4: dat mee!) AND for the 1ST “presidential” debate. Well, it will be “presidential” on one side and PRESIDENTIAL on the other.
So it seems like a good subject for today’s ‘toon encore presentation roundup should be…
Well, it is kind of funny, isn’t it?
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
“You are all Losers!” – Mittens the Cat
Pinky is beginning to look positively presidential!
“This is not a loser tail!!!!!”
Poof!
Is it just my imagination or does Mittens look even more crazed than before?
Mittens is really back.
Pinky, please do not get your brother all wound up!
It’s not a party till the pandas start a brawl!
“Just run along and put these brochures where people will see them!”
You knew Mommee was going to get angry, didn’t you?
Remember the song “The Eve of Destruction”? That’s what today feels like.
Be the Bear
Bob T Are-you-registered-to-vote Panda
Yes, we have passed the first week of our new cubbies life. We are relieved, but not complacent! No. A new panda cub is a fragile thing, but so far all appears to be going well. XT4 is getting round, loud, and well loved by Mommee Mei.
I am going to hold on to this good news as hard as I can. I managed not to watch or listen to the RNC #FascistFest, but it was almost impossible not to hear some of the clips or analysis around the inter webs. If people vote early, and are not prevented from voting, we can wrest our country back from the grasping claws of tyranny. We must vote, we must remind our friends to vote, we must correct the vision that the forces of evil want to convince us is real.
(This toon appears by popular request:)
Well *bleep* and take your *bleep* and stick it *bleep*!!!!
Whats a protest without pandas?
Hey, save some cuppycakes for me!
Uh oh…it’s the Pinky Revenue Service!
What could be in a letter to Pinky?
Mei is certainly ready for summer vacation, but maybe Bubba needs some summer duds!
Unhand my Banky Pig!
What a wonderful surprise! Um…NOT!!!!
But some pandas go both ways!
Be careful Ping Ping! The Panda House might not be…um…completely safe.
Ha ha! Oh that Pinky!
“It was just a suggestion”
Okay. That was just WAY too scary.
Ha ha! That Pinky is so clever!
Will Pinky EVER quit tormenting her brother?
trouble…trouble…trouble…It starts with “T” and that rhymes with “P” and that stands for Pinky!
I couldn’t resist.
I guess Pinky and the GOP have something in common, as much as it pains me to say…
Pinky: “rules are for other pandas.”
I hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane! Buckle up panda fans. The next two months are going to be a bumpy ride! If you need the voting information for your state, you can find all you need HERE! You can also go directly to your state’s voter information to check your registration!
Panda On!
Bob T Panda
It is still Pinky (Bubba: an’ BUBBA’S!!!) Birthday Season, so we have still more ‘toons starring this dynamic duo! (Bubba: don’ forget ping!) Yes, you too, Ping.
Yes. I said it. Hope.
Seriously, there has been so little hope available lately. HWMNBN is now trying to disrupt the USPS with his hand picked handmaiden, with mail in voting the target of his malevolence.
But let’s put that aside for one day (after you call or email your Rep and Senators, and maybe your state’s AG while you’re at it.) while we acknowledge we have not one, but TWO things to be hopeful about. I’m not sure which one is more momentous…
Okay, since I got this news first, Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris to be his VP. That news alone made my heart soar, and made the sick feeling in my stomach recede for just a moment. ( Read Connie Schultz’s lovely post on hope here) Hearing their joint announcement helped me believe again that a future is possible. But then…
Now, we know from past experience that it’s not a done deal till a cubby (or two) pops out, and even then, success is not guaranteed. But for the moment…
Really, Pinky….It’s not nice to tease your little brother.
These paws are made for walking….eventually.
Happy 100th day Birthday! More frosting!
You better watch out….
And then there was the day he had to figure out what to wear for his debut…
I’m ready for my close up!
I didn’t THINK that Pinky knew the “share” word.
That Pinky is too clever for her own good!
What’s that blinking red light over there?
I has no sekrets!!!!
You can’t just DO stuff. You need instruction from an expert!
Well, I could go on all day, but I’ll save some for next week, next weekend being Pinky ” Bubba’s actually birthday weekend! Until then, we’ll be keeping our pseudo thumbs crossed for a new cubby (or two!) in DC and for democracy to continue standing!
Don’t forget to tune in on Tuesday for the final installment about Six and Sebben’s great race! What was that stuff Six dumped on the track??? Any guesses? Here’s episode One and episode Two, in case you missed them!
Panda on
Call your Reps
Bob T Panda
No…we can no longer have Nice Things. The problems of racism and economic inequality have long been with us. Now, HWMNBN has given very explicit permission to the people who behave badly towards others, and to exercise that bad behavior unapologetically.
I know that much of what we see in videos and opinion pieces, are designed and edited to elicit our outrage and horror. We may never go back to the way things were but I hope we can think about if they were the way we want things to be. I know this isn’t how I want things to be.
The new slogan of the GOP seems to be” “Keep us in power, so we don’t go to jail.” Who needs a 58 page policy platform?
Oh, Bob, you didn’t really say that, did you?
And look who Bob’s suspension replacement is! Huzzah!
Mehitabel did NOT approve this cartoon.
Archie, is that you?
We KNEW that was you!
I was really afraid this was going to happen.
Now where did that cat go?
Despite the fact that Bob is still wearing his vacation outfit, he’s back and ready to report!
But maybe you should be careful what you admit to, Pinky.
Mehitabel! Can you take a meeting?
Economics and privilege shouldn’t be a zero sum game, that in order for one person to do well, another person has to suffer; how can someone think that one couple’s marriage lessens the validity of another? Maybe we can all work toward making EVERYONE’S life better.
This was way too much fun. :o)
Keep panda-ing on, folks
Bob T Panda
The news gets worse every day. You Know Who and his chief henchman, Disbarr, have called out the military on the pretext that violent extremists were infiltrating the mostly peaceful protesters who are demonstrating against police violence and murder. Now it appears that Mittens demanded that he be allowed to deploy military across the country. The actual military leaders declined, for now. Kind of makes you wonder, doesn’t it?
Why was his response to armed white guys showing up at state Capitols, “maybe you should talk with them,” to the governors, but peaceful protestors? Call out the militia. Am I paranoid to think that the deployment of unregulated white guys with guns is a dress rehearsal?
Pinky never misses a trick!
That Pinky is too clever for her own good!
What’s that blinking red light over there?
I has no sekrets!!!!
Huzzah! Pandas save the day!
You can’t just DO stuff. You need instruction from an expert!
But they’re so cute!
7) your brain on pandas
Be the bear!
Bob T Panda
Before we get to our weekly round-up of pandas, I just want to give voice to the thought that is in most of our minds. This Monday is Memorial Day, the day we, as Americans, pause to remember those who died protecting our country in the armed services. By tomorrow, more than 100,000 people will have died in this country from COVID 19.
Academic statistical models tell us that had we only started physical distancing and stay at home orders one week earlier, we would have less than half this number of deaths. We can’t change the past, but we can still influence the future. stay home if you can. Wear a mask if you can’t. While you still might have to go to work, do what you can to maintain distancing and stay out of crowded situations when you are able.
Do we want this all to be over? You bet! Is it going to happen immediately? Probably not. What helps me is keeping in touch with my friends and the panda online community. Is constantly reading political commentary helpful? Probably not, but it does give me some good material for ‘toons, amIright? Better to spend more time watching panda videos.
Whats a protest without pandas?
Hey, save some cuppycakes for me!
…and due to the International women’s day strike of 2017
Would YOU believe this panda?
Do we HAVE to go?
Just how crazy do we think it’s going to get?
Next to Mittens, we all look pretty normal, don’t we?
Someone forgot to take their meds today, I think.
Lock that cat up, for crying out loud!
Panda On, Everyone!
Bob T Panda
Thanks to Jon Oliver who alerted us to this great new sporting event!