saw an interesting thing today ... a mix of messages ...

[zbdent]

1. Large Ford truck, blowing past me on the highway

2. with a "Confederate Flag" rear window decal (the kind which covers the entire window, but does not obstruct driver's rear view)

3. with a sticker on the side (copyright infringement) of Calvin pissing on the words "rice burners"

Here's where I am really really really confused ...

The Calvin sticker and the "stars and bars" (okay, let's not get into the technical nature of what exactly is the "Confederate Flag" ... let's just accept that it's accepted as a symbol of the Confederacy) suggests the driver doesn't support Democrats/Liberals. No other evidence, no other bumper stickers.

Very often, when I mention about an "American-made car", a technical discussion gets going about just exactly what is an "American car" ... since there are plenty of "rice-burners" which have plants in the U.S. (usually in "red-state", heavily Republican areas) employing "American" employees, while a lot of "American cars" have a large percentage of parts manufactured outside the USA, or are assembled in Canada/Mexico, or are outright barely able to qualify as "American-made". But then, "American-Made" brands like Ford and Chevy are employing union workers, while the "rice-burners" are anti-union ...

So, my confusion stems ... exactly where does this driver stand on American-Made vehicles???

[Duer 157099]

1. What's a "rice burner?" n/t

[zbdent]

2. pejorative term for a "Japanese" car

[tularetom]

3. The driver of that vehicle is an ignorant redneck

And you have already spent far too much time thinking abut what goes through his or her mind. Because nothing does.

I get pissed off when I see some asswipe with a confederate flag on his car too. But nothing makes me angrier than one of them goddamn Calvin pissing stickers. Because I'm almost certain that anyone stupid enough to stick one of those things on his car doesn't have the foggiest idea of who the fuck Calvin even is.

And it makes me really pissed that those friggin stickers are all that remains of a great comic strip.

[zbdent]

4. I agree with you on the Calvin issue ...

because Bill Watterson walked away from all the merchandising the corporation was going to do (and there was a lengthy battle over control of his creation) ON PRINCIPLE ...

any "Calvin pissing on X" is a copyright violation ... nobody but Watterson is allowed to use the Calvin image for profit. (on a side note, ever catch the comic strip "Frazz"? The author of that strip acknowledges his main character's resemblance to Calvin is intentional and a tribute to Watterson's creation).