Comments on: Saturday Morning Ewww

By: DPWally

DPWally — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:11:05 +0000

I think this use of “VHS tape” is approaching neologism-ism. If this strip had been written 20 years ago he probably would have said “movie”, or maybe “tape” or “video”. All of those would have suggested video tape. But now “movie” or “video” suggest DVD or stream or pay per view and “tape” is a stop and think word.

By: David

David — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:15:00 +0000

Amazing synchronicity!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8567398.stm

By: guero

guero — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:59:57 +0000

Life imitates art!!! http://houndbound.com/dogblog/2010/03/13/dog-swallows-diamond/

By: Another Josh

Another Josh — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 02:44:35 +0000

The frequent fast forward and rewind of the tape would also stretch and stress the tape, causing the heads to track poorly over those areas where a lot of rewinding was done, since the data is encoded along stripes that went diagonally across the tape.

As for “VHS” vs “videotape” I suspect that VHS is easier to fit in a word bubble.

By: yello.cape.cod

yello.cape.cod — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:41:59 +0000

I think Betamax tapes were supposed to be superior quality, and stuff. At any rate, I’ve never heard of anyone wearing out a Beta tape.*

[*In case anyone is sarcasm-in-print impaired, this is a joke.]

By: Morris Keesan

Morris Keesan — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:28:04 +0000

The strange thing is that he’s referring to it as a “VHS tape” instead of just as a “videotape”.

By: Rammy M

Rammy M — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:27:01 +0000

@Bill #10

> all because the dog did a number two?

No, “I hid the ring in food, the dog ate it, I had to wait …” is only an “ew”

“I tried again” ie same ring in more food, which she has some of in her mouth, that gets the “EEWWW!!!”

But since I was forewarned, it was also a lol for me.

By: Detcord

Detcord — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:35:01 +0000

The second, VHS, ‘toon is for those of us in another generation. VHS relies on magnetic tape, which requires contact with a “head” or reader to exchange its information. Thus, over time – or with extensive usage – simple friction will wear out the recording. The more frequent the usage, the sooner the tape will wear out. Hence the, umm, focused wear.

By: John Small Berries

John Small Berries — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:27:06 +0000

PaulG apparently never had a child that was obsessed with a movie back when the only option would have been a VHS tape.

Oh, it’s not just children. Back when I was in college, the mother of one of my friends was obsessed with Patrick Swayze, and wore out at least three copies of Dirty Dancing.

By: yello.cape.cod

yello.cape.cod — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:03:57 +0000

PaulG apparently never had a child that was obsessed with a movie back when the only option would have been a VHS tape.