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Thread bender

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thompnickson2

Thread bender

All –

Your discussion of the Santa Fe Plaza riots – 13 dead, 27 wounded -- for some reason reminded me of the following. Since I could think of no connection between the two, I did NOT append it to the thread. See, I am learning.

Though my father told few jokes, he told them frequently, and we kids always urged him to tell them even more, because they made absolutely no sense, what so ever. I guess we thought at each new telling that this would be the time we would finally get the joke. Here’s one of my favorites, best attached to some historical conversation and told in a deep, sonorous, reflective tone, as if voicing a documentary.

As you know, when George Washington was fighting the battle of Valley Forge, he was often billeted in the homes of local farmers, hence the fact that all over south eastern Pennsylvania, old houses are decorated with signs that say, “George Washington Slept Here.” Now on this particular occasion, dinner had been consumed and the general was standing by the open fire, puffing on his pipe, when he happened to espy a large cat, dozing on the hearth. Without hesitation, Washington strode across the hearth and kicked the living daylights out of the cat. Awed by this display, the master of the house inquired, “General Washington, why did you kick that cat?” Now, as you know, Washington was idolized by the citizens and thought to be a man of great wisdom, so the family gathered around, ready to hear what the great man said. He said (and I quote):

I always kick a cat when I get a chance because, whenever I want to kick a cat, there’s never a cat around to kick.

Nicholas Thompson

Emeritus Professor of Ethology and Psychology

Clark University

[hidden email]

https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/

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thompnickson2

FW: Thread bender

I note that NOBODY on the list admits to having read this post.

But nobody has written to suggest I see a psychiatrist.

And certainly nobody has seen that it’s a metaphor for thread-bending.

Oh, well.

Nick

PS: My wife suggests that it’s just in bad taste.

Nicholas Thompson

Emeritus Professor of Ethology and Psychology

Clark University

[hidden email]

https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/

From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 3, 2020 12:16 PM
To: 'The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group' <[hidden email]>
Subject: Thread bender

All –

I always kick a cat when I get a chance because, whenever I want to kick a cat, there’s never a cat around to kick.

Nicholas Thompson

Emeritus Professor of Ethology and Psychology

Clark University

[hidden email]

https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/

Prof David West

Re: FW: Thread bender

read it and laughed. Not sure why joke was not understood. There is an entire category of humor "Dad Jokes" and this fits in quite well.

davew

On Wed, Jun 3, 2020, at 11:25 PM, [hidden email] wrote:

I note that NOBODY on the list admits to having read this post.

But nobody has written to suggest I see a psychiatrist.

And certainly nobody has seen that it’s a metaphor for thread-bending.

Oh, well.

Nick

PS: My wife suggests that it’s just in bad taste.

Nicholas Thompson
Emeritus Professor of Ethology and Psychology
Clark University
[hidden email]
https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/

From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 3, 2020 12:16 PM
To: 'The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group' <[hidden email]>
Subject: Thread bender

All –

Your discussion of the Santa Fe Plaza riots – 13 dead, 27 wounded -- for some reason reminded me of the following. Since I could think of no connection between the two, I did NOT append it to the thread. See, I am learning.

Though my father told few jokes, he told them frequently, and we kids always urged him to tell them even more, because they made absolutely no sense, what so ever. I guess we thought at each new telling that this would be the time we would finally get the joke. Here’s one of my favorites, best attached to some historical conversation and told in a deep, sonorous, reflective tone, as if voicing a documentary.

As you know, when George Washington was fighting the battle of Valley Forge, he was often billeted in the homes of local farmers, hence the fact that all over south eastern Pennsylvania, old houses are decorated with signs that say, “George Washington Slept Here.” Now on this particular occasion, dinner had been consumed and the general was standing by the open fire, puffing on his pipe, when he happened to espy a large cat, dozing on the hearth. Without hesitation, Washington strode across the hearth and kicked the living daylights out of the cat. Awed by this display, the master of the house inquired, “General Washington, why did you kick that cat?”   Now, as you know, Washington was idolized by the citizens and thought to be a man of great wisdom, so the family gathered around, ready to hear what the great man said. He said (and I quote):

I always kick a cat when I get a chance because, whenever I want to kick a cat, there’s never a cat around to kick.

Nicholas Thompson
Emeritus Professor of Ethology and Psychology
Clark University
[hidden email]
https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/

-- --- .-. . .-.. --- -.-. -.- ... -..-. .- .-. . -..-. - .... . -..-. . ... ... . -. - .. .- .-.. -..-. .-- --- .-. -.- . .-. ...
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Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6  bit.ly/virtualfriam
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thompnickson2

Re: FW: Thread bender

Thanks, David. I was beginning to think I had blotted some copy-book I didn’t even know existed.

Nick

Nicholas Thompson

Emeritus Professor of Ethology and Psychology

Clark University

[hidden email]

https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/

From: Friam <[hidden email]> On Behalf Of Prof David West
Sent: Thursday, June 4, 2020 6:06 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] FW: Thread bender

read it and laughed. Not sure why joke was not understood. There is an entire category of humor "Dad Jokes" and this fits in quite well.

davew

On Wed, Jun 3, 2020, at 11:25 PM, [hidden email] wrote:

I note that NOBODY on the list admits to having read this post.

But nobody has written to suggest I see a psychiatrist.

And certainly nobody has seen that it’s a metaphor for thread-bending.

Oh, well.

Nick

PS: My wife suggests that it’s just in bad taste.

Nicholas Thompson
Emeritus Professor of Ethology and Psychology
Clark University
[hidden email]
https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/

From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 3, 2020 12:16 PM
To: 'The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group' <[hidden email]>
Subject: Thread bender

All –

Your discussion of the Santa Fe Plaza riots – 13 dead, 27 wounded -- for some reason reminded me of the following. Since I could think of no connection between the two, I did NOT append it to the thread. See, I am learning.

Though my father told few jokes, he told them frequently, and we kids always urged him to tell them even more, because they made absolutely no sense, what so ever. I guess we thought at each new telling that this would be the time we would finally get the joke. Here’s one of my favorites, best attached to some historical conversation and told in a deep, sonorous, reflective tone, as if voicing a documentary.

As you know, when George Washington was fighting the battle of Valley Forge, he was often billeted in the homes of local farmers, hence the fact that all over south eastern Pennsylvania, old houses are decorated with signs that say, “George Washington Slept Here.” Now on this particular occasion, dinner had been consumed and the general was standing by the open fire, puffing on his pipe, when he happened to espy a large cat, dozing on the hearth. Without hesitation, Washington strode across the hearth and kicked the living daylights out of the cat. Awed by this display, the master of the house inquired, “General Washington, why did you kick that cat?”   Now, as you know, Washington was idolized by the citizens and thought to be a man of great wisdom, so the family gathered around, ready to hear what the great man said. He said (and I quote):

I always kick a cat when I get a chance because, whenever I want to kick a cat, there’s never a cat around to kick.

Nicholas Thompson
Emeritus Professor of Ethology and Psychology
Clark University
[hidden email]
https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/

-- --- .-. . .-.. --- -.-. -.- ... -..-. .- .-. . -..-. - .... . -..-. . ... ... . -. - .. .- .-.. -..-. .-- --- .-. -.- . .-. ...
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6  bit.ly/virtualfriam
un/subscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com
archives: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/
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Frank Wimberly-2

Re: FW: Thread bender

Here's a dad joke that I've told at Friam a couple of times apologies to any reader who heard it from me:

Thor was gathering wood for a fire when his wife ran out and screamed, "There's a saber toothed tiger in the cave with mother!". Thor says, "Who cares what happens to a saber toothed tiger?"

Some have said that it's a misogynist joke. I think it's equally down putting of both genders.

---
Frank C. Wimberly
140 Calle Ojo Feliz,
Santa Fe, NM 87505

505 670-9918
Santa Fe, NM

On Thu, Jun 4, 2020, 9:42 AM <[hidden email]> wrote:

Thanks, David. I was beginning to think I had blotted some copy-book I didn’t even know existed.

Nick

Nicholas Thompson
Emeritus Professor of Ethology and Psychology
Clark University
[hidden email]
https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/

From: Friam <[hidden email]> On Behalf Of Prof David West
Sent: Thursday, June 4, 2020 6:06 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] FW: Thread bender

read it and laughed. Not sure why joke was not understood. There is an entire category of humor "Dad Jokes" and this fits in quite well.
davew

On Wed, Jun 3, 2020, at 11:25 PM, [hidden email] wrote:
I note that NOBODY on the list admits to having read this post.

But nobody has written to suggest I see a psychiatrist.

And certainly nobody has seen that it’s a metaphor for thread-bending.

Oh, well.

Nick

PS: My wife suggests that it’s just in bad taste.

Nicholas Thompson
Emeritus Professor of Ethology and Psychology
Clark University
[hidden email]
https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/

From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 3, 2020 12:16 PM
To: 'The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group' <[hidden email]>
Subject: Thread bender

All –

Your discussion of the Santa Fe Plaza riots – 13 dead, 27 wounded -- for some reason reminded me of the following. Since I could think of no connection between the two, I did NOT append it to the thread. See, I am learning.

Though my father told few jokes, he told them frequently, and we kids always urged him to tell them even more, because they made absolutely no sense, what so ever. I guess we thought at each new telling that this would be the time we would finally get the joke. Here’s one of my favorites, best attached to some historical conversation and told in a deep, sonorous, reflective tone, as if voicing a documentary.

As you know, when George Washington was fighting the battle of Valley Forge, he was often billeted in the homes of local farmers, hence the fact that all over south eastern Pennsylvania, old houses are decorated with signs that say, “George Washington Slept Here.” Now on this particular occasion, dinner had been consumed and the general was standing by the open fire, puffing on his pipe, when he happened to espy a large cat, dozing on the hearth. Without hesitation, Washington strode across the hearth and kicked the living daylights out of the cat. Awed by this display, the master of the house inquired, “General Washington, why did you kick that cat?”   Now, as you know, Washington was idolized by the citizens and thought to be a man of great wisdom, so the family gathered around, ready to hear what the great man said. He said (and I quote):

I always kick a cat when I get a chance because, whenever I want to kick a cat, there’s never a cat around to kick.

Nicholas Thompson
Emeritus Professor of Ethology and Psychology
Clark University
[hidden email]
https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/

-- --- .-. . .-.. --- -.-. -.- ... -..-. .- .-. . -..-. - .... . -..-. . ... ... . -. - .. .- .-.. -..-. .-- --- .-. -.- . .-. ...
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6  bit.ly/virtualfriam
un/subscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com
archives: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/
FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/

-- --- .-. . .-.. --- -.-. -.- ... -..-. .- .-. . -..-. - .... . -..-. . ... ... . -. - .. .- .-.. -..-. .-- --- .-. -.- . .-. ...
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6 bit.ly/virtualfriam
un/subscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com
archives: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/
FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/

Steve Smith

Re: FW: Thread bender

> Here's a dad joke that I've told at Friam a couple of times apologies
> to any reader who heard it from me:
>
> Thor was gathering wood for a fire when his wife ran out and screamed,
> "There's a saber toothed tiger in the cave with mother!". Thor says,
> "Who cares what happens to a saber toothed tiger?"
>
> Some have said that it's a misogynist joke. I think it's equally down
> putting of both genders.
Not to mention poorly characterizing Gods and prehistoric apex
predators.   I recently read Neil Gaiman's retelling of many of the
Norse Myths in his own very unique voice and I was reminded of the
pleasure of godheads who had acutely human tragedies.

Here's another way I'm apparently anachronistic.   I didn't learn the
term "dad joke" until a few years ago, I'm guessing it had been around a
while by that time. It seems to simply replace the two tropes of the
"shaggy dog joke" and a "groaner" or simply a "bad" or "not so good" joke.

And that parallel "dad shorts"?   I think that references the generation
that wore their shorts (and pants) relatively tight and short.   The
anachronistic (and British) term "short pants" seems to come closer to
what men wear for shorts now.   Every once in a while I see a photo of a
basketball game before their shorts started dangling below the knee.
I've never played basketball (since 5th grade?) in anything but cutoffs
or jeans, so I'm not sure, but now *all* basketball shorts look
uncomfortable for one reason or the other.

Nick -

I *did* read your joke and had to struggle a little to fully appreciate
it.   I suppose cat or GW lovers might find it "in bad taste".   Perhaps
what might make it a "dad joke" is that it takes more than a little
thought to untangle the whole thing... and the punchline once fully
parsed was a minor letdown (aka "groaner").   Neither yours nor Frank's
resorted to the "bad pun" which I believe also fits the category of "dad
joke".     What I presume (also) makes it a "dad joke" is the over-reach
of a dad trying to connect to a kid/grandkid or their friends with a
joke that might be either too simple or too sophisticated or perhaps
just plain dumb?

- Steve

-- --- .-. . .-.. --- -.-. -.- ... -..-. .- .-. . -..-. - .... . -..-. . ... ... . -. - .. .- .-.. -..-. .-- --- .-. -.- . .-. ...
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6 bit.ly/virtualfriam
un/subscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com
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thompnickson2

Re: FW: Thread bender

Thanks Steve,

I think a lot of the thread-bender impulse comes from seeing a slumbering cat (= some few words of interest to the bender) on the hearth (= the whole thought of the poster) and kicking the living daylights out of it.

Nick

Nicholas Thompson
Emeritus Professor of Ethology and Psychology
Clark University
[hidden email]
https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/

-----Original Message-----
From: Friam <[hidden email]> On Behalf Of Steve Smith
Sent: Thursday, June 4, 2020 11:53 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] FW: Thread bender

> Here's a dad joke that I've told at Friam a couple of times apologies
> to any reader who heard it from me:
>
> Thor was gathering wood for a fire when his wife ran out and screamed,
> "There's a saber toothed tiger in the cave with mother!". Thor says,
> "Who cares what happens to a saber toothed tiger?"
>
> Some have said that it's a misogynist joke. I think it's equally down
> putting of both genders.
Not to mention poorly characterizing Gods and prehistoric apex predators. I recently read Neil Gaiman's retelling of many of the Norse Myths in his own very unique voice and I was reminded of the pleasure of godheads who had acutely human tragedies.

Here's another way I'm apparently anachronistic. I didn't learn the term "dad joke" until a few years ago, I'm guessing it had been around a while by that time. It seems to simply replace the two tropes of the "shaggy dog joke" and a "groaner" or simply a "bad" or "not so good" joke.

And that parallel "dad shorts"? I think that references the generation that wore their shorts (and pants) relatively tight and short. The anachronistic (and British) term "short pants" seems to come closer to what men wear for shorts now. Every once in a while I see a photo of a basketball game before their shorts started dangling below the knee. I've never played basketball (since 5th grade?) in anything but cutoffs or jeans, so I'm not sure, but now *all* basketball shorts look uncomfortable for one reason or the other.

Nick -

I *did* read your joke and had to struggle a little to fully appreciate it. I suppose cat or GW lovers might find it "in bad taste". Perhaps what might make it a "dad joke" is that it takes more than a little thought to untangle the whole thing... and the punchline once fully parsed was a minor letdown (aka "groaner"). Neither yours nor Frank's resorted to the "bad pun" which I believe also fits the category of "dad joke". What I presume (also) makes it a "dad joke" is the over-reach of a dad trying to connect to a kid/grandkid or their friends with a joke that might be either too simple or too sophisticated or perhaps just plain dumb?

- Steve

-- --- .-. . .-.. --- -.-. -.- ... -..-. .- .-. . -..-. - .... . -..-. . ... ... . -. - .. .- .-.. -..-. .-- --- .-. -.- . .-. ...
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Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6 bit.ly/virtualfriam un/subscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com
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Frank Wimberly-2

Re: FW: Thread bender

In reply to this post by Steve Smith

Funny you say I was alluding to Gods. I was thinking about what would be a good name for a caveman. I looked at the list of characters in the comic strip B.C. One of them was "Thor".

---
Frank C. Wimberly
140 Calle Ojo Feliz,
Santa Fe, NM 87505

505 670-9918
Santa Fe, NM

On Thu, Jun 4, 2020, 11:52 AM Steve Smith <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Here's a dad joke that I've told at Friam a couple of times apologies
> to any reader who heard it from me:
>
> Thor was gathering wood for a fire when his wife ran out and screamed,
> "There's a saber toothed tiger in the cave with mother!". Thor says,
> "Who cares what happens to a saber toothed tiger?"
>
> Some have said that it's a misogynist joke. I think it's equally down
> putting of both genders.
Not to mention poorly characterizing Gods and prehistoric apex
predators.   I recently read Neil Gaiman's retelling of many of the
Norse Myths in his own very unique voice and I was reminded of the
pleasure of godheads who had acutely human tragedies.

Here's another way I'm apparently anachronistic.   I didn't learn the
term "dad joke" until a few years ago, I'm guessing it had been around a
while by that time. It seems to simply replace the two tropes of the
"shaggy dog joke" and a "groaner" or simply a "bad" or "not so good" joke.

And that parallel "dad shorts"?   I think that references the generation
that wore their shorts (and pants) relatively tight and short.   The
anachronistic (and British) term "short pants" seems to come closer to
what men wear for shorts now.   Every once in a while I see a photo of a
basketball game before their shorts started dangling below the knee.
I've never played basketball (since 5th grade?) in anything but cutoffs
or jeans, so I'm not sure, but now *all* basketball shorts look
uncomfortable for one reason or the other.

Nick -

I *did* read your joke and had to struggle a little to fully appreciate
it.   I suppose cat or GW lovers might find it "in bad taste".   Perhaps
what might make it a "dad joke" is that it takes more than a little
thought to untangle the whole thing... and the punchline once fully
parsed was a minor letdown (aka "groaner").   Neither yours nor Frank's
resorted to the "bad pun" which I believe also fits the category of "dad
joke".     What I presume (also) makes it a "dad joke" is the over-reach
of a dad trying to connect to a kid/grandkid or their friends with a
joke that might be either too simple or too sophisticated or perhaps
just plain dumb?

- Steve

-- --- .-. . .-.. --- -.-. -.- ... -..-. .- .-. . -..-. - .... . -..-. . ... ... . -. - .. .- .-.. -..-. .-- --- .-. -.- . .-. ...
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6 bit.ly/virtualfriam
un/subscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com
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- .... . -..-. . ...- --- .-.. ..- - .. --- -. -..-. .-- .. .-.. .-.. -..-. -... . -..-. .-.. .. ...- . -..-. ... - .-. . .- -- . -..
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
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Steve Smith

Re: FW: Thread bender

Funny you say I was alluding to Gods. I was thinking about what would be a good name for a caveman. I looked at the list of characters in the comic strip B.C. One of them was "Thor".

I was wondering why the joke mixed the two tropes (caveman and gods)!

At Merle's meeting in Stockholm in December, the first Swede I met had written on his name tag "Thunder Bear". It was a little hard to keep a straight face while addressing him, and it took most of the evening at a dinner table with him (and 8 others?) to discover that his given name was "Torbjörn" which unsurprisingly translates to: "Thunder Bear". I thought it odd and unique but not surprising on reflection. At the end of my trip there, I took a one-night AirBnB stay at the home of a young (30something) man who turned out to be very fascinating to chat with AND his name was also Torbjörn and he made it clear that this is a very common name throughout modern Scandinavia.

Glen keeps telling us that "communication doesn't exist", yet we DO continue to attempt/pretend to do it!

- Steve