Is it wrong that the first thing I thought of, when I read about the wine-smelling robot, was "Oh man, the poor French"?
I've been reading a lot lately about the hand-wringing going on in France -- a general sense of national malaise and pessimism that's being called "Declinism". Dozens of books have been written for the French market, lamenting the current status and future direction of the country.
And when I read about a little 12"-tall Japanese robot that can recommend an awesome cheese to go with your pinot, it just seemed like the straw to break the camel's back.
But before I sound too high-fallutin' about the reasons why I do a particular cartoon, I need to be honest: The real reason I drew today's strip is...it's just fun to write for French accents. Saying "out-a-rage" just the right way in your head can keep you chuckling for a solid 10 minutes.
At least, it did for me.
-Dave
Oh, and in case you liked today's strip, here's another past favorite on France.
