"Roger! I said oscillate -- not osculate!"

Geeky gag cartoon from 1961. (Note the "oscillyscope" on the workbench.) Oscilloscope Humor

[#1 posted by se7a7n7 , August 21, 2008 2:21 PM]

I had to look up the word...

osculate - touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.

Can't wait for the chance to tell someone to osculate my ass.

[#2 posted by The Unusual Suspect , August 21, 2008 2:37 PM]

Good thing the boss was there to rectify the situation.

(Too obscure?)

[#3 posted by aldasin , August 21, 2008 2:43 PM]

I only know it because a company I used to work for used it in an ad.

[#4 posted by minTphresh , August 21, 2008 2:55 PM]

is that the boss' wife Roger is osculating?

[#5 posted by Eric D , August 21, 2008 3:11 PM]

He is inspecting her sinuses..

(Even more obscure?)

[#6 posted by RevEng , August 21, 2008 3:17 PM]

I hate to me a stickler, but your title says "ocsillate" instead of "oscillate".

[#7 posted by shecky , August 21, 2008 3:18 PM]

Oscillations, comin' up!

[#8 posted by chrisb , August 21, 2008 3:34 PM]

@Reveng: I hate to BE a stickler, but...

[#9 posted by John Wiedey , August 21, 2008 3:47 PM]

And at lunch I expect to hear nothing but mastication in here!

[#10 posted by Elvis Gump , August 21, 2008 3:50 PM]

Boing Boing increases our word power!

[#11 posted by minTphresh , August 21, 2008 3:53 PM]

" but boss, i AM oscillating...In my pants!"

[#12 posted by Antinous , August 21, 2008 4:30 PM]

Fixed.

[#13 posted by Antinous , August 21, 2008 4:31 PM]

If he had a stethoscope, he could be osculating instead of auscultating.

[#14 posted by Falcon_Seven , August 21, 2008 5:28 PM]

"OSCILLYSCOPE'

Ha!

[#15 posted by hlehmann2 , August 21, 2008 5:44 PM]

Two transistors are walking down the street, and come across a third transistor passed out drunk on the curb. The first transistor says to the second: "I may be biased, but he looks pretty saturated to me."

Engineering jokes; they're a riot I tell ya.

[#16 posted by Falcon_Seven , August 21, 2008 5:45 PM]

"If he had a stethoscope, he could be auscultating instead of osculating."

There, I fixed that for you Antinous. You're welcome.

[#17 posted by kenahoo , August 21, 2008 7:23 PM]

How do you titillate an ocelot?

You oscillate its titalot.

(Courtesy of some guy way back in high school)

[#18 posted by Jake0748 , August 21, 2008 8:07 PM]

I was like 6 years old in 1961 (I know, I know nobody cares), but this kind of cartoon, even back then, seemed a little stoopid to me. I love the background, as I did back then, with all the wires and tubes and electronic gear hanging out. But even as a pre- pre- teen I already knew the difference between oscillating and osculating.

Can I just say... I really like the cartoon, but now, as then it seems like it would appeal mostly to my dad's friends. (The non-genius ones).

[#19 posted by Jake0748 , August 21, 2008 8:10 PM]

Also, Its pretty racy.

[#20 posted by Antinous , August 21, 2008 8:23 PM]

Is it common among heterosexuals for the male to squat while kissing? My people usually just tilt heads.

[#21 posted by retchdog , August 21, 2008 8:33 PM]

@20: Not that I know of. The squatting was one of the first things I noticed in the comic, and it really struck me as weird and VERY uncomfy. Maybe it's an antiquated practice, or a regional thing?

[#22 posted by minTphresh , August 21, 2008 8:38 PM]

antinous, I wouldn't be so sure that Rog is totally straight, I mean, it looks like he might have some sort of tool up his ass. he is also much taller than the transvestite he is kissing.

[#23 posted by buddy66 , August 21, 2008 8:47 PM]

Depends on what you're kissing.

[#24 posted by Tenn , August 21, 2008 8:53 PM]

Which heads, Antinous?

[#25 posted by John Coulthart , August 21, 2008 9:01 PM]

"Roger" is also Brit slang for sexual intercourse.

[#26 posted by FutureNerd , August 21, 2008 10:37 PM]

Satan oscillate my metallic sonataS.

Satan osculate my metaluc sonataS.

Satan ocsillate my metallis conataS.

In any case be careful what you summon for-- or what you's hummin' for.

[#27 posted by FutureNerd , August 21, 2008 10:38 PM]

#25 John Coulthart: Roger that.

[#28 posted by donniebnyc , August 22, 2008 7:53 AM]

Is that a screwdriver in your pocket or....

[#29 posted by Robert , August 22, 2008 8:54 AM]

Coincidentally enough, I know the word because I'm just beginning to study Latin.

osculum, n., a kiss; the mouth; the lips; an orifice; the mouthpiece of a pipe.

osculor, osculari, osculatus sum, v., to kiss.

Who knew the Romans got it from a 1961 cartoon?

[#30 posted by kip w , August 22, 2008 2:22 PM]

The years have gone by, and they took the details with them, but National Lampoon cartoonist Charles Rodriguez was a real go-getter. When I was taking electronics, back at the dusk of the Tube Age, I read through a pile of electronics magazines, and it seemed like each month there was a cartoon or three by Rodriguez. His electronics cartoons read like they'd been made by an electronics geek who was also a wicked cartoonist. I don't know for sure at this remove, but I had the impression at the time that he did similarly inspired cartoons for other specialized publications.

There's a lesson for aspiring cartoonists out there: find the specialized markets. They pay money too. Note to self: take own advice.

[#31 posted by Apashiol , August 23, 2008 1:38 AM]

@ #1
Can't wait for the chance to tell someone to osculate my ass.

That would be the osculum infame.