For the most part, I have made a living commenting on what is commonly called “the human condition.” I wasn’t required to do that––I could have just created amusing cartoons that simply make people smile and left it at that. Even so, many, if not most of my cartoons have been just that; something funny with no particular point of view. But I’m a reasonably well-educated person who has always had a lot of strong opinions so it became natural for me to slip those perspectives into my work.

At this point in my life, after forty years of close observation and experience as an adult, I find the “human condition” every bit as baffling as I ever did and much more depressing. While growing up in The United States in the latter half of 20th century, we were encouraged to believe in Progress; the notion that society was evolving, that people were getting smarter, more civilized and more compassionate while becoming less bigoted, abusive, authoritarian, selfish, unjust and superstitious. Many of us were, in fact, evolving but a sizable minority were not. Now that we are firmly embedded in a world that is consciously and systematically moving backward toward bigotry, ignorance, authoritarianism, sefishness and superstition, it becomes obvious that history doesn’t typically march forward and upward in a smooth arc, but roils up and down, back and forth like a rollercoaster full of spoiled children who can’t agree on where they want to go. Peaks and valleys, as they say.

At this point, I can only bear to expose myself to the news by quickly glancing at headlines just enough to know the miserable state of the world, and I have not watched any news programming online or on TV for more than two years. I view this relative news embargo as a necessary means of self defense and I feel better than I would otherwise, but it does have one downside; I am missing the earnest hilarity of small-town, local news.

Fortunately, I still get the occasional momentary fix by seeing a meme about Fox News Channel (an enormous, mainstream big-budget propaganda network disguised as “news” that operates barely at the level of small-town local news channels) and the presumed idiocy of its viewership not realizing how bamboozled they have been for the past many years by the very thing they decry most: FAKE NEWS.

I live in the only Mexican country this planet has to offer—Mexico—and can assure you this is fake news from a fake news channel. I got a huge belly laugh out of this graphic and it would have been even funnier if so many American voters were not uneducated enough to swallow the bullshit this channel peddles hook, line, and sinker. (sigh)

Enough of real world nonsense. Let’s see what nonsense was happening in Wayno’s cartoon world this week…

The only thing that would make these monstrosities more attractive to American consumers would be if they guzzled petroleum and destroyed the environment. (Not all Americans, mind you, just the ones that I’m talking about.)

Of course, with a border comes border security. How long before he promises to build a wall and make her pay for it? 

Yes. And also your head.

What do you think of a T-shirt that says, I SURVIVED MY KID’S TEENS & ALL I GOT WAS THIS HEADACHE?

Over on Wayno’s weekly blog, he’s asking for band name suggestions regarding the above cartoon. Hop on over there and see what he’s talking about, then come back!

I wonder what would happen if he offered him a torte? #DessertReformNow

Why doesn’t he just teach the carpet to fly upside down and give itself a few snaps?

Thus ends another chapter of the Book of Bizarro, Jazz Pickles. As the scriptures foretold, if thou enjoyest our cartoon prophecies and the fact that we do it without annoying ads, please help keep the campfires burning here at Rancho Bizarro by patronizing one of the links below. Thanks a llama!

Until next week, be happy, be smart, be nice, and resist ignorance and fascism.

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