Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Happy New Year - 2014

obama, obama jokes, cartoon, humor, political, stilton jarlsberg, hope n' change, hope and change, conservative, tea party, new year, new year's

2014 is here at last, and 2013 has been retired to its proper place in history. 

By which we mean that we threw a burlap bag over 2013, beat it repeatedly with an ax handle, dragged it to a shallow unmarked grave, and then sowed the ground with salt. We're also thinking seriously of going back tonight to drive a stake through its heart and stuff garlic in its mouth, just to be sure it won't be coming back.

Sadly, all of the festive Auld Lang Syne of New Year's doesn't mean we're getting an entirely clean start; we're still stuck with our same Auld politicians and problems, and we expect them to get particularly ugly in this crucial election year. Expect more race-baiting, "war on women" rhetoric, a greatly expanded "war on wealth," and of course the complete, utter, and entirely deliberate meltdown of Obamacare.

But those issues can wait until another day. Preferably a day on which we're not hungover and picking bits of confetti out of bodily crevices and nervously looking for ourselves in Youtube videos.

On a personal note, 2013 was a challenging year for the Jarlsberg family - and the friendship and support we received from all of you means more than you can ever know. And happily, the health-related problems which bedeviled us now seem to be largely (and successfully) resolved. Which is why 2014 seems to us like a year of new beginnings and unlimited possibilities. Which is also what we wish for you and for this wonderful nation. 

So HAPPY NEW YEAR - and hang on tight. Odds are, it's going to be another wild ride!

14 comments:

REM1875 said...

Happy New Years my friends, wishing y'all the best.

David in SoCal said...

Happy New Year to all my new-found friends and Compatriots here at H n'C! Although I'm not sure how big a cluster f*#k 2014 will be; I do know that without this bastion of sanity/camaraderie/pent-up pressure release here at Hope n' Change; most of my 2014 would be spent in a straight jacket being spoon fed by Nurse Ratched. So, fuel up yer torches and sharpen yer pitchforks comrades; here we go!......YEEEE-HAWWWW!

alan markus said...

Happy New Year & glad to hear that your family's medical issues have stabilized. Had been wondering about that lately and was hoping for a positive change.

2014 could shape up to be a good year, as far as regaining some ground politically and culturally. In the last weeks I have seen the liberals get hit back quite hard - Phil Robertson (Duck Dynasty)and MSNBC's use of an adopted black baby as an opportunity to mock the Romney family. A few other examples come to mind - the guy on MSNBC with the Palin comments, the lady (I forget what media source she was with) who tweeted about not getting AIDS on her trip to Africa because she is white.

I think a sleeping giant army has woken up, and none of them are wearing footed pajamas. Indeed, 2014 could be a very good year.


Anonymous said...

Happy New Year to all. May this year be much better than last year.

BTW, it should be "sOwed the ground with salt."

Anonymous said...

So good to hear that the health issues bedeviling the good doctor's family have been successfully resolved. So a Happy New Year to the Jarlsberg's and all of his devoted readers.

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@REM1875- And to you!

@David in SoCal- This may actually be a good year for pitchforks (metaphorical of course) and a bad year for the Left.

@Alan Markus- I think the Left has had such a free reign over the past five years that they thought they could get away with anything, and mainstream Americans are finally getting fed up and speaking out. And I hope we see a LOT of that this year.

We're also going to see a lot of people who usually ignore politics getting upset about Obamacare. Could be fun!

@Anonymous- Dang it! I've fixed the spelling error, but already blown my resolution to be perfect this year. Which, frankly, takes a lot of pressure off.

@Anonymous- In a nutshell, we had a long and exhausting quest for the right combination of medications to control epilepsy (and the medications themselves can have brutal side effects). But things are much, much better now - and I'd like to thank all of those who offered up prayers, good wishes, and positive thoughts on our behalf. It meant (and means) a lot.

WMD said...

Happy New Hope n Change Year to all.
I too, am looking forward to a better year for our country.
Unfortunately I don't hold out much faith for that to happen with the current regime.
And Stilt you are right, we can all expect the bullshit to be piled on pretty high this year.

American Cowboy said...

Best wishes for a happy and prosperous new year to all H&C readers!

As I read the comments I was reminded of the punchline from an old joke, most of which I have long ago forgotten.

Ă˜bama evidently has quite a few college degrees. He would seem to have a B.S., a M.S., and of course a PHD.

We all know what B.S.stands for ...and M.S. would stand for More of the Same, and PHD? That is Piled High and Deeper.

Hope it brings a smile to a few today.

Sparky said...

I am so pleased to hear the medical issues are now in the rearview mirror. I pray they forever stay that way.

I have hopes, slim though they be, that 2014 will be better. I have my doubts with Janet Yellen as Fed Chief. That has my Worry-odometer in overdrive. Turd Boy and all his evil schemes are crashing right and left. I am also thinking that the Libertarians may bury the Dem's and Country Club Repub's at the next elections. We'll see. I have my "pitchfork" ready in case things take a turn for the worse. ~:)

Keith DeHavelle said...

I read your pronouncement to my Lady, and she asked me to pass along that she was willing to hold the year down while you beat it — and then trade off.

Best wishes!

===|==============/ Keith DeHavelle

WMD said...

Don't know when it came out exactly but Congatulations!!! to Hope n Change for winning a Fabulous 50 Blog Award for best cartoon. You're in with Chris Muir at Day By Day and Michael Ramirez.
Pretty good company Doc.

PRY said...

I think this year will be mixed bag of blessing and attempted distractions by our adversaries...you're right, Stilt, it IS going to be interesting!

Was telling my son,38, who doesn't watch TV much, about Obama's promotions aimed at the millennials from the 'hip-hop- video, to the 'boxer-clad' gayboys touting affordable health-care, and also the fact that people signing up on the ACA website must MAIL in their payments...I'm telling ya, to that last one, he said, "well, THAT ain't gonna happen! If they can't pay on the site, there's no way!"

Keep on keepin on, everybody!

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@WMD- I am not, by nature, an optimist. But for a little while I'm going to hold out hope that 2014 might actually be a decent year for the good guys. Mind you, a LOT of things are irreversibly effed up for now - but if that translates to a major, major conservative win in November, this might be a great year. Or...it might just suck again.

One thing's for sure: the Left will be in full attack mode this year, and history shows that their attacks only grow uglier over time. I expect nothing different this year.

@American Cowboy- I don't remember the exact stats, but I don't think there's even remotely been another administration that is so full of academics and experts with no real world experience whatsoever.

These days, I have far more respect for a man who can actually repair a toilet than a man with a PhD.

@Sparky- An additional benefit to the improvement in my family's fortunes is that I'm better able to cope with the other craziness in the world. My priorities have gotten considerably clearer this past year - and the lesson didn't come free.

And I'd love to see a big Libertarian upsurge this year. Personally, I loathe the Democrats, have disdain for the Republicans, and actually like Libertarians.

@Keith DeHavelle- That might make her an unindicted co-conspirator, but it's nice to know that I have a partner (or partners) in crime.

@WMD- Within the past week, I was awarded a "Fabulous 50 Blogs" award as Best Cartoonist in a 3-way tie with the marvelous Chris Muir ("Day by Day") and the godlike Michael Ramirez. It's hard for me to take ANY award seriously if it even remotely puts me in Michael Ramirez territory, but it's still fun and appreciated. AND more impressive than the Nobel Peace Prize, because you actually have to do something to earn it!

@PRY- Obama may finally get bitten in the ass by America's young thanks to the total screw-up which is Obamacare. The site doesn't work, you can't pay online, there's no compelling benefit for young people, and the advertising (in an attempt to be hip) keeps portraying young adults as helpless idiots: women who are dumb sluts, and men who are pajama boys living in their parents' basement.

By the way, I had to laugh at some Leftie assertion that the reason we all laughed at Pajama Boy was because he was Jewish. Excuse me?! It's only the conservatives who are standing with Israel - not the Obama administration, or the liberal college campuses which are boycotting all things Israeli.

And yeah, this is going to be a wild year. We'll have wins and losses, but I'm hoping on the balance we'll come out on top.

Bruce O'Hara said...

Happy New Year to you and yours, Stilton.
I was glad to read that the health problems have been resolved.
God bless us all in 2014!!
~ Bruce ~