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From: Gary McGath <garym@mcgath.com>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.fandom
Subject: Re: Happy "Dennis the Menace" Day
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2025 08:35:44 -0400
Organization: Mad Scientists' Union
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On 3/12/25 5:24 PM, Keith F. Lynch wrote:
> 74 years ago today, a new comic strip named "Dennis the Menace," about
> a mischievous child, first appeared in American newspapers.
> 
> On the same day, a new comic strip, also named "Dennis the Menace,"
> also about a mischievous child, first appeared in British newspapers.
> 
> The two comic strips have nothing to do with each other.  It's just a
> remarkable coincidence.
> 
> What are the odds?  And is this evidence that we're living in a
> simulation?  In a poorly programmed simulation?

That reminds me of another coincidence -- or plagiarism. At about the 
same time, Tom Lehrer released the song "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park," 
and the German songwriter George Kreisler released "Tauben vergiften im 
Park," which translates as "poisoning pigeons in the park." The songs 
present the same idea of celebrating spring by poisoning pigeons, and 
they're even somewhat similar musically. Lehrer and Kreisler accused 
each other of plagiarism, but nothing was ever proven in court.

Kreisler wrote another song, "Die Hand," which tells the same story, 
down to the details, as Lehrer's "I Hold Your Hand in Mine."

As far as I know, Georg Kreisler was unrelated to either the famous 
violinist Fritz Kreisler or the American auto maker.

-- 
Gary McGath    http://www.mcgath.com