Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for December 29, 2019

That’s depressingly accurate. As facetious as it may sound now, Happy New Year, everybody.

Spot on, Greg

Two Thousand Twenty is inching closer and closer.

Whoa……kinda dark there. Not unjustified, but there are people out there fighting the good fight for others and getting our system back on track.

Well, taken literally it really doesn’t matter much. The “new” year isn’t new for very long.

That was depressing. Luann is a university student with the chance to learn and do anything she wants. I would hope that she would have a little more positive view to life.

Greg is sounding pretty judgmental for someone who is satisfied with running the same few storylines over and over. Put Ann Eiffel in jail where she belongs and let Luann evolve beyond her 14-year-old mindset and then maybe he can talk about how nothing changes but the year. Because this strip has been stuck in a holding pattern for a long time now.

That is a sadly cynical but also sadly too accurate assessment of the state of our world. What is it going to take to break through this, “My side has got to win” mentality and instead let’s get everyone to win instead.

Two thumbs down.

Great glasses, Puddles. Wag your tail and be happy. I should give the same advice to Tiffany. Cheers.

I wonder if it was Greg or Karen who was initially moved to say this. Anyway to date most of the arcs have been fun.

“Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” The Talmud

Well, this is certainly in keeping with all of the Christmas offerings G&K have given us this week!

Greg and Karen just gave us a challenge. It would take a lot of work to prove them wrong. I don’t know if we can. Anybody want to give it a try anyway? At least in our corner?

There is some truth, I do not doubt,

We do not change, and love to shout,

Our ears and minds we tightly seal,

Against unwelcome truths, though real,

Yet things get better, no matter how it feel

Illnesses once bringing rapid death, we now know to heal,

Ignorance once was enforced by those in power,

But can now be left behind if truth won’t make us cower,

Hatred’s harder to leave behind because we love it so,

Blame all our ills on “the other guy,” the one with all the dough,

Yet here we sit and argue and know, folks we’ve never met,

By technical magic our minds might touch,

By the reach of this critter called the Internet.

War and hatred? Yes, they’re there

But a ray of hope I think I see,

By the fact that some do care.

Tried to Like *EB*’s comment above. But it wouldn’t take for some reason.

The adventures and escapades of Luann universe is a daily oasis for our minds. Peace

Hey, war and ignore don’t rhyme, and if you think they do, you are wrong and I am right.

I recall reading a political columnist making predictions for the new year and his last one was: “People will continue to overcook vegetables.”

Deep

I have to disagree with the negative outlook of today’s strip. Things are actually looking up for our country. The economy is doing AMAZING. Terrorist Isis leaders and the caliphate have been destroyed. Unemployment is the lowest EVER for minorities. etc. People need to put politics aside and enjoy just how wonderful a time in our history this really is. The best is yet to come!

One thing to remember next year…hindsight is 2020.

“We’ll have the same old arguments ‘cuz no one gets along,

My opinion’s always right, and yours is always wrong.”

.

Greg is on to something there. Nothing I would like better than world peace. Unfortunately, human nature will always get in the way. If we were down to the last two people on the planet, and even if they had the exact same mindset, one would still try to outdo the other, and arguments and fights would still ensue. Lovely idea, though.

I have the day off work so that’s new

Luann’s poems have painfully reached adulthood. Doubts, saddnes, objectivity. I LOVE IT!

“There is nothing new under the sun.”

I’ll say this, we all want to make it better in the U.S. Get rid of the law makers that take hundreds of millions of dollars a year as bribes to pass special interest agendas. Or have them sign an oath of office that under penalty of severe fine they cannot accept money from special interest. If they don’t want to work for the people that put them in office, we don’t need them. They are worthless puppets to us.

Rejoice, all who wear glasses and contacts!! Soon you shall be able to see 2020!

Luann obviously has a bright future as a Miss America contestant.

Well. That’s a cynical poem.

Puddles looks erudite, wearing glasses and standing next to the poem. When I first looked, I thought HE had written it. Perhaps, with those glasses, Puddles will be seeing “2020” when the new year gets here.

“And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.” —Rainer Maria Rilke

We can’t change the world, or the year. But we CAN change ourselves.

A “Poem,” Huh?

“Well let Me add this,”

“And it’s not a CURSE.”

“Things aren’t ever so BAD,”

“That they cannot get WORSE!”

“So get off your DUFF,”

“And Go lend a HAND,”

“You got stuff to DO,”

“Other than taking a STAND.” Book Of Mordo, Chapter 6

USA is falling behind China, they are graduating 8 engineers to our one and pulling ahead of us on G technology. Congress is not supporting education nor is the average American. I am afraid that when the stock market bubble breaks we are going to be in the SHI………

Wow!! Nicely done, Greg.

The Grinch is alive and well, apparently!

WELL WRITTEN!

I for one am going into the new “roaring 20’s” with hope in my heart! Happy New Year and Excelsior!

That’s deep Luann.

Truth, sad but true.

I should have skipped this strip today.

C’mon Greg …. we have enough despondency in the world. Hope is what you should be reflecting.

“… and if you don’t agree with me about this, I’ll dox you and get you fired. You hater!”

Unfortunately true. 2020 will suck EVERY DAY at least until November 3rd. And EVEN THEN…..lol

Yeah, the number is twenty, but I think we have plentyOf things we can do and places we can go Of hearts we can change, or at least I would say so

What if this year we decided to alter(Maybe not others around me, but myself, without falter)“A new years amendment”, that’s always how I startBut by the weeks end, I don’t look very smart

I said what I’d do, and I didn’t what I didWhat I thought I could change, what I wanted to ridMyself inside others, for that’s really what I hatedMaybe the problem was the mirror I thought so unrelated

To the problems I saw, that I thought others hadOh my! there were mine. Now I don’t feel so gladBut if it was ME that would change, what a start that could beFor a new year that’s coming, with you and with me.

Look up LuAnn. You’re going the right direction.

Well put.

Human nature does not change from day to day. January first is an arbitrary date, nothing special about it. Everyone is doing the best they can right now with the knowledge and personality they have at this time.

“But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power” 2nd Timothy chapter 3

Whether a person believes in God or not, there are 2 facts to consider…1>these words were penned nearly 2000 years ago. 2>There has never been a time when these things were as common as they are now. Something to think about

The glasses are subtle and cute.

Thank you, Betty Buzzkill.

Thanks for staying in the middle & not going left or right

Puddles, just pray that Greg Evans doesn’t kill you like Farley when he realizes how old you are. Now that would be depressing.

Whenever I get depressed about the state of the world, I talk to the kids. The world’s future is bright.

Time to refill the Prozac, Mr. Evans?

I disagree with Luann her words are VERY blonde in a time of such disagreement here in the USA

Oh man. I used to say that the Sunday Luann strip was the only good one in the week. I read it on the website because my local paper runs it weekdays only.NOT ANY MORE! Ugh! Today’s downer makes the weekday soap opera almost look good by comparison.

Yet another comic artist believes it is his duty to deliver social commentary, as if we wouldn’t have any clue without it.

Oh well. That’s one more in the bit bucket.

Sadly, it’s true… Let’s hope this will be the year we prove the poem wrong.

Hey is this Luann or Debbie Downer?

Cheer up, Luann. You know what they say.Some things in life are bad,They can really make you mad.Other things just make you swear and curse.When you’re chewing on life’s gristle,Don’t grumble, give a whistle!And this’ll help things turn out for the bestAndAlways look on the bright side of life!Always look on the bright side of life

I guess well all find out when JESUS comes!!

Gotta agree with you Greg. 130,000 homeless in CA. . And as the number grows, the Congress people and Senators in this state do nothing to stop this problem.

Veeeerrrrrrrry interesting, Herr Docktor. What we have here is a rhyming Rorschach test that reveals Greg’s cynical philosophy and clearly explains why Tiffany, the goddess on the pedestal, must be torn down and doomed for failure. I’m sure that the artist must have a bobble head of Diogenes on his desk.

Ya gotta have a little faith Greg!

You can’t change human nature, It’s a fruitless thing to try;You can work to improve yourself,But not the other guy.

That is true, but it makes me feel sad.

Surprised by todays comic but what I’ve always thought

On the one hand I think sometimes that Greg is purposely trying to get an argument started in his Sunday socially conscious strips (although this one was pretty – IMO wimpily – even handed) but on the other hand it is Sundays that I become aware of what a surprising number of hard core Trump supporters (as opposed to those who may have voted for him but have misgivings about some of his priorities and decisions in recent years) follow this strip about a young college age girl in Southern California. I also have wondered whether there is a list of comic strips that actually have been targeted on right wing (or, to be honest, Russian troll farm) lists for political commentary. (Read the comments on Doonesbury or Darrin Hill’s strips for example.) I remember when a relatively benign Earth Day strip here prompted a flood of angry climate change denial posts. Again, it just seems odd that a strip like Luann draws this sort of far right wing following, and it’s particularly noticeable on Sundays.

If anybody’s still reading this ;-) Luann’s poem, although pretty depressing, is not out of character for a person of that age, most particularly at this point in time.

Knew it! Luann is a closet socialist….

Greg Evans, thank you for an honest statement of how things really are. Sorry that others do not want to admit it.

You talk about the increase in jobs. But, have you taken into consideration how much the National Debt has increased. The day will come when the bubble will bust and we will be in for one heck of a bad ride.

You know—and let me put it right out there that I a social justice type progressive, generally an Obama Democrat, who really likes the idea of a Klobuchar-Booker ticket as a sure winner against the proto-fascist in charge now—that Luann’s poem is not only not bad as literary commentary on social reality, but is spot on for her generation’s view of the future they see. Jobs being replaced by artificial intelligence, rise of nationalism, school and mass shootings, environmental issus, their elders seemingly intractable tribalism, but I would counsel, be more optimistic Your generation is going to take over and hopefully you will improve on things, just the way ours did, although there is always retrenching, and in 2059 your kids and grandkids will be writing the same kind of poem (although not in cursive -:). Happy New Year my fellow tribal Americans, lets try to be more than one tribe this coming year.

Humanity has felt it is on the brink of ruination since near our awareness came to be. Doomsayers have been around since Year 1000 (when it was thought THAT would be The Judgement Day) and before, since there have ever been wars, famine, strife, and death. Our technology increases with gains from the past, but with each new human generation, we have re-teach the same things to the inheritors all over again.

Good things can be done, still! The question is, What can we do about it?! …

Where’s this coming from? Businesses are booming, jobs are plentiful, troops are coming home. Oh, I know, you’re listening to our wonderful mass media.

Greg and Karen, gettin’ all woke! I like it.

Here is another poem by Luann, a typical college girl who is horrified by the situation of the world, but has no plans to make anything better.

.

It’s a New Year once again—but what’s so new about it?

My parents pay my way—I have no cause to doubt it!

Some people are still hungry—but I have food galore.

War and hate and famine—are never at MY door!

I’d like to make things better, but it’s really not my duty.

The GOVERNMENT should handle it—I’m just a college beauty!

But I’ll be glad to gripe, and blame ’most anyone I see.

SOMEONE should do SOMETHING, but that Someone won’t be me!

Well there’s a buzzkill. No one should take away hope for the future. With that in mind, I will wish all the best for my fellow Luanatics for 2020.

Too freakin’ many.

So…..When is Luann going to join the Peace Corps? If she’s serious about the world situation, she should do something about it—-not “continue to ignore.”

UGGGGGHHHHHH why the political crap this is a cartoon forum can’t everyone lighten up I’m sure there are forums for politics , can’t you go there !!

Amen

https://www.gocomics.com/luann/1985/07/12Luann’s first poem

Yeah, well.

Sad but True.

Monday: a New Arc …. a new beginning, or an ending?

All I ask is that 2020 be a better year than 2019. Given how 2019 has been, that’s not asking for much.

As usual, 2019 wasn’t very kind to the young warriors from Pitts, and that nasty biological clock waits for no one. So, Tiffany should dump this college thing, get a job in a ladies’ boutique, hook up with Ox and get laid repeatedly. The big guy likes her and respects her and will protect her.

Happy New Year to you, too, Puddles the Cynic (and how fitting is that soubriquet?)….

Well, that was depressing.

Well you strips are a daily bright spot for me.

Thanks for the lovely bit of sunshine, Greg et al.

Yes, the world is messed up. But what did your poem do, other than to get people riled up against each other?

If your desire was to get people to say, “Aw, it’s not so bad,” and follow up with stories of folk they know who do the right thing, don’t just people on their political party, and just try to be a good neighbor, well…

It didn’t work.

I could share this to FB but there are some that will turn it around to attack Trump and others that will attack the Dems. It would kind of defeat the whole thing.

Very dark and deep but it is thought provoking. But it asks the questions;

will we relive the “roaring 20s?”

will we ever get over ourselves and stop acting like we’re “offended?”

ya know this is a good poem dark or not i like it and she’s/Greg is right

I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware all poetry is supposed to be happy and fake.

the main thing about a new year is the optimism for yet another chance to do more good than bad

Wow, so very encouraging!

This comic actually hits the key point about what is really hurting this country the most – folks who simply don’t care about "what doesn’t affect me personally. " If their job is stable, they’re healthy, and their bank account and investments are doing well, hey, everything is great. But unemployment numbers not reflecting that they may represent multiple, low-paying jobs for a good number of people? Data showing that FORTY-FOUR percent of all workers age 18 to 64 – hold low-wage jobs, earn median hourly wages of $10.22 and have a $17,950 median annual income? Racism and anti-ethnic violence growing every day? Kids in cages? People losing their entire livelihood and savings over one accident, illness, event? And on and on? Hey, not my problem if it doesn’t affect me personally. Until it does…

I just read all these remarks. I think everyone, on both sides, should just stop arguing and do something to make our country and our society better and safer. Stop arguing about things you cannot change and do something about the thing you can change. Join a neighborhood watch to keep your community safer. Go to your local Council on Aging and do some volunteer work for the elderly. All of you will be one of the elderly some day. Volunteer at your nearby VA hospital and do something for our brave veterans that gave so much to keep us safe and free. Help put flags on the graves on Memorial day for the ones that gave their lives doing just that. I read so much here where people complained about what is wrong but did not read any solutions. So, here is something to think about. Don’t complain until you can present a viable solution to what you are complaining about. Not an opinion. A real solution that will work and proof on how it will work. Otherwise, you are nothing more than a complainer. Yes, I voted for Trump. I was tired of these politicians that speak out of the side of their mouths and lie to us. This country is a big business and I have said for years we need a business executive running this country. He/She just has to surround themselves with the proper people to do the political things that require someone with the political polish he/she does not have. No, I don’t like some of the things he tweets or says sometimes but I knew he was dirty fighter when I voted for him. I knew that’s what we needed to get this country back on track. I felt Clinton was a liar and would have ruined us further. In that last 3 years my portfolio has grown by 32% and there are jobs everywhere. I’m glad I voted the way I did and will do so again. Look at what the democrats are presenting. Socialism. Medicare for all including non-citizens. Free education for anyone citizen or not. A 70% income tax. We will go bankrupt in 3 years.

So unfortunate that it is true… People suck…

It’s a commemoration, not a celebration and certainly not a commemoration of any change. The purpose of a commemoration is to remind people of something. In this case of the passage of time and is a chance to reflect on the past and the future, hence January named after Janus.

Luann is not racist or homophobic, so she would of course be against nationalism, a current Republican trait. She cares about humankind and wants to be a public school teacher, so she’s pro public and higher education systems, and puts her desire to help others over making gobs of money. She is not afraid of free will, and is able and prefers to make choices on her own, so therefore is against authoritarianism. She, her family, and almost all of her friends are Democrats.

Tiffany is the lone Republican of the group, although her father’s recent gift of Perspective is giving her insight that greed and materialism are not a happy way to live, and that she needs a “village” of the people she used to look down on to thrive . Her shallow former self is evolving to a new and better Tiffany, one who realizes there’s more to herself than looks and designer labels. Luckily, I don’t think her father ever insisted she have plastic surgeries to stay young and hot forever, or fondled her on national TV and talked about how attracted he was to her; the only thing he seems to be attracted to is money and his new BeBest Gold-digging Mistress (although I do give Anne credit for having had real jobs in the past).

TJ is an Independent. He may vote Democratic on many occasions, but he has a strong desire to make money. However, he does not fit in any box.

When is Delta going to finish college (with honors, of course) and run for office?!

I’m here in August 2021.Oh my, you poor people, no idea what is about to hit you.