BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip

Subject: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: GUEST,john f weldon
Date: 09 Feb 12 - 12:17 PM

Hi Folks....

Since the beginning of December, I've been posting a daily comic strip on Facebook.   I thought I would keep it going for 2 weeks; I've now gone over 2 months, due to popular demand.

Of course, not everyone is on Facebook, so I've also been posting them on my website. (Not as regularly, but as I write, they're up to date.)

Here's where they start, four on each page, total currently 18 pages worth! (72 strips!)

Ashcan Alley Strip

cheers John F Weldon

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Feb 12 - 12:54 PM

Thanks for posting it here! I've been catching them every so often - they're good, John!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: gnu
Date: 09 Feb 12 - 01:57 PM

Good stuff! Thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Feb 12 - 08:37 AM

Named, no doubt, alter the famous Russian-Italian conductor Vladimir Ashkenalli.

I love the comic strip! I plan to post a link to it on one of my favorite non-Mudcat web sites.

Hey, this is the first time I've run across the expression "colin de bin." I've done enough Googling to find it's a French-Canadian swearing term, but I have yet to find a good definition or translation. Any help?

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: bobad
Date: 10 Feb 12 - 08:52 AM

Colline de binnes = hill of beans.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: bobad
Date: 10 Feb 12 - 08:54 AM

Call in the Bin

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Feb 12 - 12:28 PM

Indeed, my father (who had no connection to Canada or France that I know of) used to say "It ain't worth a hill o' beans."

But Google doesn't recognize "binnes" or anything like it as a translation for "beans." What's up with that?

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: bobad
Date: 10 Feb 12 - 12:48 PM

"But Google doesn't recognize "binnes" or anything like it as a translation for "beans." What's up with that?'

It's Québécois joual.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: GUEST,john f weldon
Date: 10 Feb 12 - 12:55 PM

Binnes is from the English "Beans", but considered bad grammer. Fevres is "correct". But the real reason it's a swear word is the same as Sacre Blue (from Sacre Dieu)... ...it sound like you're going to say "Calice" (Chalice)... ...and suddenly switch the ending. Calice is very naughty, since it refers to the Communion Chalice.

To say this correctly, you must go slowww start fast end... ....Cawwwwllllllll..... ....indabin!

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: rumanci
Date: 10 Feb 12 - 01:05 PM

My daily second smile John and your books are even better to indulge in multiple ones. Thankyou muchly!

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: bobad
Date: 10 Feb 12 - 01:14 PM

Often "Caline", stretched out as shown by John, is used in a way to make it sound like an innocuous substitute for "Calice" without the "de binnes" added on to it. Adding "de binnes" turns it into a word play on "Calice" and "colline de binnes".

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: gnu
Date: 10 Feb 12 - 01:20 PM

Callllice taberNAC Jean's comic strip is good, eh?

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: bobad
Date: 10 Feb 12 - 01:22 PM

Dat's fer shore, ostie!

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Feb 12 - 07:43 PM

Thanks for the explanation.

If "binnes" is not a true French word, but comes from the English "beans," then it's Franglais, no? Or is "Franglais" a word that is only used in France? Would "Québécois" be a better term? And should "Franglais" and "Québécois" be capitalized?

By the way, I went Googling for "worth a hill of beans" and the oldest usage I found was this: "For that purpose it is not worth a hill of beans." (From a transcription of Indiana legislative debates, 1861)

I hope John doesn't mind me hijacking his thread.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: gnu
Date: 10 Feb 12 - 08:31 PM

"Franglais" is a term used here in Maritime Canada. Speaking mostly Acadian French (and Shaque (slang) - there are other spellings) mixed with English as a second language is commonplace for a third of the population of the area I live in. It's simply history. And it's a vibrant and rich, sometimes sad, history of which we are all proud. The mix is varied and enriches us all.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 05:34 AM

John, you are one of the most creative people to ever set foot into Mudcat. Crazy, perhaps - but certainly creative.

Cheers!!

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: GUEST,john f weldon
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 07:43 AM

Sadly, in Quebec, the Office de la Langue Francais has been vigorously stamping out those colourful Franglais expressions. No more binnes, or "flatire" (pneu brise, svp), or hamburger (now the wholly invented French word, "Hambourgeois").

In France, it's okay to Stop and Park to go to a Screening. In Quebec you must Arret and Stationnez pour voir une Vissionment!

Sad & dull.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: bobad
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 07:56 AM

And "deux hot dogs all dress" has become "deux chien chauds tout garnis".

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: bobad
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 08:43 AM

You will notice that in translating "hamburger" to "hambourgeois" they did the "burger" part but left the English "ham" so that technically it should really be "jambonbourgeois".........ah, the silliness of social engineering through linguistics.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 12:43 PM

Nah, hamburgers are named after Hamburg, Germany, just as frankfurters are named after Frankfurt and wieners are named after Vienna (Wien, in German).

In fact, hamburger, frankfurter, and wiener were all originally German words, not English.

I suppose frankfurters and wieners were once different things but now they are synonyms, at least in the US.

I sort of like the term "hambourgeois." It sounds like a facetious term to me, like pronouncing Target as "tar-ZHAY."

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: gnu
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 12:54 PM

Noun

Hambourgeois m (plural Hambourgeois; feminine Hambourgeoise, plural Hambourgeoises)
1.Hamburger (someone from the German city Hamburg)

So, they only serve male hamburgers in La Belle Province?

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: gnu
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 01:28 PM

john... they started that crap here in Dieppe (borders Moncton, New Brunswick). All signs must have French first and, if English also appears on the sign, English second and the French must be predominently larger.

Perfectly ok for governments to have a requirement for bilingual signs and services but private enterprise should have a choice.

In any case, having tread drift on this thread is a good thing. Keeps the thread on the page longer.

I am trying not to read all of them at once. As my uni math prof said... don't work out all of these problems at once. Just do half a dozen of them a day so you can enjoy them... savour them... you wouldn't eat a whole stalk of bananas at once, would you?

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: bobad
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 01:40 PM

Jim, I am well aware of the origin of those terms - I guess my feeble attempt at tongue-in-cheek humour was a little too subtle.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: gnu
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 01:48 PM

We know that, bobad. Ahhh... not saying it was feeble... or too subtle. Maybe it's a Canuck thing?

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: EBarnacle
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 01:51 PM

Actually wiener refers to Vienese sausage, sorta like those crappy imiataions of hot dogs you find in the stupidmarket. [If'n yer rilly curious, ask for help finding them.

I do like characters with attitude and character. You'll have to keep working to reach Al Capp level, tho.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 02:44 PM

Bobad: As far as I know, there really are people in the world who are ignorant enough to believe that "hamburger" has the word "ham" in it. I don't know you well enough to know whether you are one of them. In fact, most of the time, I don't even notice the name of the person who posted a message; I just respond to the message. It's hard for me to form an idea of the personality of someone I have never met. Only a few Mudcatters have personalities that I can recognize. Most people are just generic Mudcatters to me.

In other words, my mistaking you for someone who didn't know the derivation of "hamburger" was nothing personal.

Maybe I'm also deficient in my ability to recognize irony. I know I've made that mistake many times.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 02:51 PM

How can there be such a thing as a crappy imitation of a hotdog?

That's sort of like saying a stupid imitation of Rick Santorum.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: GUEST,john f weldon
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 03:00 PM

EBarnacle... ...Thanks for goading me on, but I must point out that Al Capp's daily strips were not in colour, and that he was merely the leader of a team of seven guys (artists and gag-writers)! Much of the best art in strip was done by Frank Frazetta. And... ...he was getting paid! (Even Johnny Hart of BC fame had six gag writers.)

BTW - I've often posted links to my films, but since they contain music, they've been above the line. I hereby take the liberty to add this link, in case any below-the-liners have missed some.

Ashcan Alley Productions films.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: gnu
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 03:15 PM

"How can there be such a thing as a crappy imitation of a hotdog?"

Hahahahaa!

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 03:22 PM

A hotdog is the lowest form of meat.

I'm not saying I wouldn't eat one, under the right circumstances.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: EBarnacle
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 06:50 PM

In answer to the question : "How can there be..." you've set yerself up to try them. It's sorta like mistaking SPAM for spiced ham.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: gnu
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 06:51 PM

Get the cheapest dogs... there ain't much difference.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: GUEST,john f weldon
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 11:32 AM

BTW, those wishing to read Ashcan Alley updated daily, can find them on Flickr here:

Ashcan Alley on Flickr

(The ones on my website are updated less regularly.)

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: gnu
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 01:42 PM

Thanks John.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 03:11 PM

I just started reading this thread yesterday.....and immediately had to go see ALL the cartoons in order. Some of those rank with the best 'meaningful' cartoons I have seen. Ever since I realized what Waly Kelly could say with a few deft drawings and words in Pogo, I have felt that a good cartoonist can say things that need to be said as well as any long, tedious tome.

Thanks for the humor ...and the insights, John.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: GUEST,john f weldon
Date: 13 Feb 12 - 07:57 AM

Thanks everyone. I intend to continue posting them daily on Facebook and Flickr, with irregular updates on the website, until spring, whenever the weather allows me to be less uf a shut-in. At which point, I'll need to take a healthy break and factor in some jogging, biking, swimming, attending festivals, loafing, and slip in a film or two.

But, thanks to the great encouragement I've received, it will definitely be around for quite a while.

Thanks again.
JFW

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: GUEST,john f weldon
Date: 24 Feb 12 - 11:10 AM

Although I update The Ashcan Alley strip daily on Facebook and Flickr (see above), I am much less regular about updating my website. Nonetheless, if you like reading it there, the latest 4 pages (16 strips) have been added, starting here:

Ashcan alley latest

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: topical tom
Date: 24 Feb 12 - 12:09 PM

Crazy but captivating! Well done, John!

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Feb 12 - 06:20 PM

*big grin*...always clever and challenging! I love 'em!

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: GUEST,john f weldon
Date: 11 Mar 12 - 01:39 PM

Hi folks. Hope your enjoying this. I've updated the comic on my website & the latest update starts here...

latest update

As it turns out, strips 77 to 97 form a kind of continued tale, so if you want to start there, it's half-way down this page when Wallie learns to draw.

starting shemp sequence

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: bobad
Date: 11 Mar 12 - 01:41 PM

You're a brave man, John.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: Bill D
Date: 11 Mar 12 - 05:30 PM

...but a clever and insightful man.. ☺

I'm really enjoying them.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: gnu
Date: 12 Mar 12 - 05:00 PM

freeresh

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: GUEST,john f weldon
Date: 31 Mar 12 - 10:56 AM

Hi Folks...
Since my last update I've added five more pages... ...twenty new strips... ....starting here....

New Ashcans March31
cheers
JFW

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: gnu
Date: 31 Mar 12 - 11:40 AM

Thanks, John.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 31 Mar 12 - 11:45 AM

Brilliant! Cheers -

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: GUEST,john f weldon
Date: 17 May 12 - 09:28 AM

Been a while, but I've update the strips on my website, the newest ones start here...

Ashcan 117 and up

Even better. I've added a convenient Table of Contents

AA TOC

If you find any errors, links that don't work missing strips, etc, tell me and I'll try to fix it.
cheers all!

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: gnu
Date: 17 May 12 - 06:33 PM

Haven't read up in a while. Thanks for the reminder, John.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 18 May 12 - 04:37 AM

... finally back after a long absence reading Ashcan Alley

who was it who said ya can't read 'em all at once?

sandra (off to have a rest)

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: GUEST,john f weldon
Date: 19 May 12 - 07:21 AM

Thanks, Sandra, gnu. There are several other regular readers who may have missed this, so... ...refresh!

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: GUEST,john f weldon
Date: 17 Jun 12 - 09:47 AM

I've wound up Season One, and organized the entire season at this link. My last update went up to page 44. Click on the banner, you'll get a Table of Contents, and you should be able to find wherever you left off.

Over two hundred strips, over six months, and a Season 2 preview to bott!


Ashcan Alley Comic Strip

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jun 12 - 10:48 AM

I've enjoyed it, John! Thanks!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: GUEST,john f weldon
Date: 18 Jun 12 - 10:40 AM

Thanks. I know there are more folks interested who might not have noticed this yet, so refresh.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 18 Jun 12 - 01:19 PM

John-
I don't care what anyone says---I think your work is great.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: gnu
Date: 18 Jun 12 - 02:05 PM

Dick... point the bastard out! >;-)

Over two hundred strips, over six months... wow!

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: Ebbie
Date: 19 Jun 12 - 02:14 AM

John f, I too read them sequentially and all at one time. I needed to do an errand so the last few pages I rushed. I'm going to 'trace' this thread and I'll go back later.

They're great. And original- a whippetemu???

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: GUEST,john f weldon
Date: 28 Dec 12 - 08:06 AM

Sorry to be so late at mentioning this, folks, but life, y'know...

Anyway, I started Ashcan Alley Season 2 on December 1 2012. The best way to catch up on the strips is on Flickr, here. You'll have to flip back if you want to start at the Season start...

Ashcan Alley Season 2

I'll try to get them better organized on my website, but an increasing number of grandchildren has slowed things down a mite. Nonetheless, I've put up one every day, and hope to continue into spring or even summer.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashcan Alley Comic Strip
From: GUEST,john f weldon
Date: 29 Dec 12 - 05:12 AM

Helloooo.....