With his singular style, Tom Toles tackles the complex issues of the day. This Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist skillfully targets political, economic and social concerns — in particular complicated environmental issues — with a clear-eyed precision that hits the mark every time.
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toasteroven said, over 3 years ago
Actually, judging by the map, I’d say it’s either Laos, Vietnam or the Philippines claiming victory.
Oh, those crafty Laotians. All that crushing poverty was just a front!
Ivanho4 said, over 3 years ago
Nah, it’s them bleeep Artesians…poisoning our precious bodily fluids…
leipsicbob said, over 3 years ago
No it’s even worse! It’s the AUSTRALIANS!! Oh No!!
cjr53 said, over 3 years ago
Some of us caught on a long time ago.
mrssmithrlc said, over 3 years ago
rikoshayrabbit’s post was just a little spooky, don’t you think!!!
BoxCar66
said, over 3 years ago
Interesting that Rudyard Kipling, writer of children’s books, had such deep thoughts. He was a good man, loved his Country.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudyard_Kipling
benbrilling
said, over 3 years ago
It doesn’t really matter WHERE they are. You spend a few hundred billion chasing them out of one place and they’ll simply relocate to another. Start over, spend a few hundred billion again… It keeps the military-industrial economy going.
Gladius said, over 3 years ago
Rudyard Kipling wrote quite a bit more than children’s books. For a while he was considered the British military’s poet of choice. Officers were given collections of Kipling’s work at promotion ceremonies. People use to ask “do you Kipple?” He has become a lost writer here in the U.S. Only his childrens’ stories have survived as far as the majority is concerned.
The following is one of his most famous poems:
If
If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too: If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master; If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim, If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same:. If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build’em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings, And never breathe a word about your loss: If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much: If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
Rudyard Kipling
benbrilling
said, over 3 years ago
^ I don’t think anyone’s ever filled those boots!
Michael wme said, over 3 years ago
Kipling fell out of favour when the ethnic European mercantile imperialism he so fervently supported likewise fell out of favour after WWII.
In particular, he wrote, ‘White Man’s Burden,’ that the entire world needed to be colonised by ethnic Europeans:
Take up the White man’s burden – Send forth the best ye breed – Go bind your sons to exile To serve your captives’ need; To wait in heavy harness On fluttered folk and wild – Your new-caught, sullen peoples, Half devil and half child.
Take up the White Man’s burden – In patience to abide, To veil the threat of terror And check the show of pride; By open speech and simple, An hundred times mad plain. To seek another’s profit, And work another’s gain.
Take up the White Man’s burden – The savage wars of peace – Fill full the mouth of Famine And bid the sickness cease; And when your goal is nearest The end for others sought, Watch Sloth and heathen Folly Bring all your hope to nought.
Take up the White Man’s burden – No tawdry rule of kings, But toil of serf and sweeper – The tale of common things. The ports ye shall not enter, The roads ye shall not tread, Go make them with your living, And mark them with your dead!
Take up the White man’s burden – And reap his old reward: The blame of those ye better, The hate of those ye guard – The cry of hosts ye humour (Ah, slowly!) toward the light: – “Why brought ye us from bondage, “Our loved Egyptian night?”
Take up the White Man’s burden – Ye dare not stoop to less – Nor call too loud on freedom To cloak your weariness; By all ye cry or whisper, By all ye leave or do, The silent, sullen peoples Shall weigh your Gods and you.
Take up the White Man’s burden – Have done with childish days – The lightly proffered laurel, The easy, ungrudged praise. Comes now, to search your manhood Through all the thankless years, Cold-edged with dear-bought wisdom, The judgment of your peers!
dtroutma
said, over 3 years ago
Kipling’s “Boots” repeated over and over can also drive one nuts during “interrogation”.
Gladius said, over 3 years ago
michael, Every great writer is a product of their society. The white man’s burden concept is taught in my history classes. It does not prevent me from appreciating his writing. There are many writers who have been eliminated from curriculums due to the fact that they may offend. I think it is a mistake, especially for the student of history. If you take a look you will find similar attitudes in old Chinese literature as well as in other cultures.
HabaneroBuck said, over 3 years ago
I’ve heard no such call as “100%”, nor would I believe it if i heard it.
lonecat said, over 3 years ago
– Do you like Kipling? – I don’t know, I’ve never kippled.
“Kim” is a really good book (though not great) and very relevant today. “Captains Courageous” is good, as well. “The Just-So Stories” do reach greatness. “Stalky and Co.” is offensive, but it’s one of the sources for Harry Potter. T.S. Eliot wrote an appreciation of Kipling’s poetry – who would have thought?
teryng said, over 3 years ago
Doesn’t anyone recognize the Hindu-kush, clearly illustrated with the word “Victory!” emerging from a cave? China would probably like to claim this land, west of Tibet… but Afganistan has their own blueprint for the future, captured beautifully by Toles!