Rick London Goes Xanga

Offbeat cartoonist E-tailer Rick London www.ricklondonwear.com, www.LTSuperstore.com, www.londonstimes.us, said today he is trying the social network blog Xanga because
he has read it receives a phenomenal amount of hits, easy to navigate, and will help him network over the coming year for next holiday season.

"London say, "I was a late bloomer in life, so needless to say, a late bloomer on the Internet, but better late than never.

London has already started posting pictures and text in categories at Xanga.com that are of interest to him such as pets, entertainment, news, current events, health, and more. His Xanga blog address is http://www.xanga.com/beardiethor

He invites all to join in and blog to your heart's desire.

Press Release


September 27, 2007 Contact: Alexa Ferotina
For Immediate Release 501-588-1966 info@londonstimes.us



Rick London Expanding Londons Times Cartoon Empire After Decade On The
Internet With Thousands Of New Gifts And Collectibles


By now, most who have spent any time at all typing “rick london” or “londons times cartoons”

into Google, are aware that Londons Times Cartoons (www.londonstimes.us) is the most sizzling wild

offbeat cartoon on the market. But cartoonist/writer/entrepreneur Rick London looks at it from both a

humorous and serious angle.

“Of course there is no better feeling in the world to receive emails and letters saying how better

we made someone feel just because of our humor. But I wanted to take that a step further and

bring it into the retail market so that people could do more with the images than just view them, but

actually use them, wear them, or play with them.”

And bring it to the retail market London did.

He has opened stores featuring about 70,000 items of his 8500 or so (mostly color) single

panel cartoons, with shades of The Far Side (critics often compare).

London has opened a megastore that sells everything from porcelain plates to t-shirts to

tote bags to his own cartoon gourmet coffee gift basket at Londons Times Superstore

(www.londonstimessuperstore.com) which he opened in September of 2006”.

Londons says, “I truly had no idea people would go for the merchandise the way they have. It's

been a bit of a frenzy but I like that and I know people are enjoying the merchandise.”

More recently, London has opened more niche-oriented stores, with all the items also featuring

his cartoon images such as Rick Londonwear (www.ricklondonwear.com) which might be the

first line of cartoon designer clothes (and gifts and collectibles), Prozacwear (www.prozacwear.com),

clothing that will make you laugh at your own depression, Just Funny Aprons

(www.justfunnyaprons.com) which showcases his cartoons on bar b q aprons, and Just Funny

Hoodies which showcase cartoons on fine quality hooded sweatshirts.

London a full-time return-to-school business student has also launched his own communications

firm which specializes in medical devices. He invented the first fully-automatic one which can be

seen at North American Satellite Systems, Inc. (www.nsatinc.com).

The websites have remained highly rated by such analytical companies as Alexa.com and

Netcraft.com, among others.

London's main cartoon site has received over 7.8 million visitors since 2005 making it one

of the only one of its kind to ever break such a record.

Londons success story is legendary in that he began his business in a vacant rural Mississippi

warehouse where he lived and worked for a year, with no heat or air, sleeping in a sleeping

bag on a concrete floor at age 44 because nobody believed he could do what he said he was going

to do in his hometown of Hattiesburg, Ms.

He started with #300, a beat up used IBM clone 386 pc, a phone line with dial up Internet,

free domain, a book titled “Internet For Dummies” (he knew nothing of the net), and his

stray mutt Thor (who still lives with him a decade later in Hot Springs, Ar. Where he works

at his computer in a high rise studio overlooking the beautiful Ouachata Mountains.

London said, “If I had known it could be like this, I would have started the project at a much

earlier age.”

Digg

Londons Times In Blog Directories

LS Blogs

Want A Special Deal On Some Of Our Products? Just Ask

Looking for a special deal at one of our stores?



Simply ask and we may just be able to work with you.

www.londonstimessuperstore.com

www.ricklondonwear.com

www.prozacwear.com

www.justfunnyaprons.com

Londons Times Cartoons Expands Its Stores

A lot of people have asked me how I "started Londons Times"; many more ask me how I could ever even start a cartoon when I don't draw that well. I will try to answer both questions. www.londonstimes.us was founded (by little ol' me) in an abandoned warehouse in rural Ms. Most bloggers know that whole story by now. I learned that many cartoons are team efforts, writers and artists, so I recruited artists. I had written thousands of cartoons.

I looked up ten years later, I was in a Hot Springs, Ar high rise (no more sleeping on the floor of a metal warehouse) and owned a multitude of stores which featured my licensed images. www.ricklondonwear.com , www.londonstimessuperstore.com , www.justfunnyaprons.com and www.prozacwear.com (I kid you not). Thanks to the efforts of the illustration team, and a very talented cartoonist who happens to understand the web better than most Rich Diesslin, I was able to expand and grow in a much bigger way than I ever imagined. Rich is also the creator of his own fabulous cartoons at www.the-cartoonist.com. Most fall under the auspices of scouting and religion and are witty and in good taste. Way to go Rich.

We've been published in countless journals and on websites. I went from nearly homeless to people asking for autographs almost weekly (no that doesn't make me better than anyone homeless; I know my roots, and know them well).

3drose sells most of our items, way to go Meyer. He is one of Ebay's oldest and largest Powersellers and sells a lot of our products on Shop.com, Amazon.com and other shopping channels. I am proud of the work 3drose.com has done.

I work out of my home now, and take care of my 19 year old dog. I have a girlfriend on the west coast, Rosy, and we visit monthly. She is a wonderful soul and certainly my "better half".

So that is the story of Londons Times Cartoons. It's one of those "life gives you lemons" stories and you dam well get the lemon squeezer. But people have had it a lot tougher than me and made it.

And I am far from where I want to be ten years from now. The good news is that I stay persistent and that is all one needs to do. Talent is just a tiny part of it.

So no matter what one's endeavor, don't give in to the naysayers. They may even have
your best interest at heart but simply don't share your vision.

Be polite. Thank them for their advice, and continue on. You will succeed.

Never Discuss Religion Or Politics? Sure but.......

The highly-rated critically-acclaimed Londons Times Cartoons
by Rick London and the creative staff have done it again. This time,
Londons Times Tees. http://www.londonstimestees.com

And what does that have to do with religion or politics? Well not
a lot, but the team has discovered a way to make you laugh, whatever your
religion (or lack thereof) with some very offbeat image products regarding
these topics.

Take a look at the newly added "Tern The Other Chick" in which birds are
conducting a religious service. Critics love this one.

All tees are 100% cotton and digitally produced (no cheap silk-screening).

Londons Times Tees also features tote bags, mousepads, coasters, and
aprons.

Funny Dogue de Bordeaux Merchandise Launched

For those who love Dogue de Bordeaux (French Mastiff) like I do,
we now have hilarious dogue tees, aprons, totes, coasters, etc.
Make great gift or collectibles. This is high quality stuff.
All major credit cards accepted on our secure server platform.
Drop by!
http://www.printfection.com/londonstimestees/Dog-Humor/_s_81517

New Offbeat Cartoon T Shirts Have Arrived

And thanks for asking. Yes we finally have
digitally reproduced 100% cotton tees, mousepads,
tote bags, coasters and more. Great quality
products. Please drop by. Would appreciate feedback.

Sincerely,

Rick
http://www.londonstimestees.com

I Finally Started Listening To Advice

Early on, I can remember being open to advice. A lot of people do not believe my story but it is true. I was (about 44) when starting this venture. I had lost my job at the tv station (was never really very good at 9-5 coat/tie ventures), so it was no big loss, but....it left me with just a pocketful of change. I had just enough to buy a used IBM clone 386 beat up computer that I WAY overpaid for by some shyshter who "saw me coming"; I book called "Internet 4 Dummies" (I had never used the net), and my stray dog Thor (of whom I still have and love).

I was used to obstacles and issues by then. I had my share. This time, I was to be without a home as I could not pay my rent, even for an old beat up house. It appeared my hometown did not want a 44 year old cartoonist who didn't draw very well and had displayed very little other talent in many arenas.

A friend of mine, a caring social worker and her husband allowed me to live and work in a beat up abandoned warehouse that happened to have a phone line and electricity, but that was it. No hot water, no furniture, nothing but junk in it. I took it.

I bought a dial up Internet service and began recruiting artists. I read the Internet 4 Dummies book several times. I talked to established cartoonists over the Internet. I plodded along, sleeping in a sleeping bag on the concrete floor for almost two years working with junk all around me. I froze in the winter and
could barely breathe in the summer; that was the climate of south Mississippi.
I was determined to create something funny and important. I had no idea what the
outcome would be.

As time went by, illustrators came and left. We were a non-commerce site; in fact I couldn't even afford a domain and got a free one with more popup ads than cartoons.
But as time went by, I found I could write 50 or more concepts on some days, and
the concepts seemed strong enough to lure some very accomplished illustrators
willing to take a chance. I had read enough about Internet businesses to know
to "hang on tight" and "be patient". I had no idea it would be a decade before
the world would ever notice. What they notice is at http://www.londonstimes.us
and has had over 7.5 million visitors since January of 2005. I still can't believe it when I think about it.

Now, I imagine I have worked with at least a hundred illustrators and finished
over 6000 cartoons; probably one of the largest private individual collections of
single panel cartoons on the Internet.

I write about it for two reasons. One is, I am proud and admit it. My ego deserves
stroking. I worked very hard and at times in unbearable environments. But I
preservered as did many of my illustrators, several of them still with me; one
has been able to capitalize on all the attenion by publishing several books of his
own (he is very into Christianity and Scouting and does a terrific job at
using those themes as his cartoons and does so in good taste). His name is
Rich Diesslin and he has also managed the website for a long time now.

In 2006, I met Rosy. We fell in love. She is an attorney on the west coast and she loves the arts and creative projects. She encouraged me to work harder and
manufacturer products. I already was making tee shirts and mugs at Cafe Press but the royalties were somewhat of a joke.

I found another manufacturer willing to take a chance and he promoted us heavily.
Londons Times Superstore was born with about 60,000 cartoon image products on 24
different items in several dozen categories from science to romance to sports to
Star Wars and Star Trek. It is at http://www.londonstimessuperstore.com

Londons Times Cartoons By Rick London Gains Worldwide Popularity

My voyage into cartooning is a funny story (no pun intended). The seed was planted long ago. I believe the year was 1986. I was with some friends in Washington, D.C. who informed me I had been invited to a Gary Larson Far Side exhibit. I remember laughing at his cartoon; and eventually every morning when opening the newspaper going directly to it. I was hooked. I remember saying to myself "I could do that....if I could only draw." Sure, and the next thought was I could re-build the Taj Mahal if I could only build.

Years went by and my life took many twists and turns. I owned my own business in Washington, D.C. at age 39. It was successful. I worked in major media. I did a lot of things. I was very adventuresome. I moved to L.A. to learn screenwriting (didn't do very well, I must admit but at least I tried). The Northridge quake hit about the same time Mom called from Ms. to tell me she was very ill. I returned home at age 44.

It was humbling and educational. I learned to care for someone whom I loved very much, my mother. I learned to take a job that i felt was "beneath me"; I sold ads for a local tv station. I did a lot of things I didn't want to do.

Mom died in 1996. I moved to Hot Springs, Ar a town in which I knew nobody, but had had ancestors here who loved it. They were right.

By that time, I had learned that many cartoons are team efforts, that is, a writer and artist, or writers and artists, and I developed a team. I wrote, created concepts, they drew. We had a fun hobby that had started in 1997.

Artists came and went, but by 2005 Londons Times Cartoons www.londonstimes.us was
rated by Alexa as one of the top 100,000 sites on the Internet with over 6000 cartoons. We were receiving about 4000 hits per hour; we've had 7.5 million visitors
since January of 2005.

There is much more to the story. I will be blogging it soon. I hope to hear
from others, feel free to join and write in the blog and let's keep it going.

Thanks to everyone who made our work popular!

Sincerely,

Rick London
Londons Times Cartoons
www.londonstimes.us

The London Group Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary WIth Unique Products And Services

It started in 1997 in a small metal warehouse in rural Mississippi. Nobody would rent to Rick London because he
"owned a dog". Indeed he did have a dog, but he also had
what Winston Churchill called "His Black Dog" or severe
depression. A friend of London's owned an old abandoned
warehouse with a phone line and electricity, but no heat
or air, and he lived in it, slept on the concrete floor on
a sleeping bag for a year and launched Londons Times Cartoons.

His only assets were app. $100 cash, a very old IBM 386 computer, a phone line with dial up Internet, and a book
titled "Internet For Dummies".

Ten years later Londons Times Cartoons boasts over 6000
originals that London wrote and his team of artists rendered.
It ranks in the Alexa top 200k and Netcraft top 100k most popular sites. www.londonstimes.us (A subsidiary of Rick London's The London Group)

Last year London launched Londons Times Superstore which features his licensed image items; everything from tee
shirts to mouse pads, to wall clocks to gourmet coffee gift baskets...over 65,000 items in all. www.londonstimessuperstore.com (The London Group)

As if that were not enough, he launched his own private label brand of gourmet coffee gift baskets "Ruth London's Exquisite Coffees" named after his grandmother which include cartoon coasters and mug.

Last week, he launched his own line of cartoon clothing
called Rick Londonwear www.ricklondonwear.com (The London Group)

He also signed with one of the Internet's top digital
content providers www.blish.com. If one does a Londons Times Cartoons on their search engine they can find cartoons for any profession from lawyers to psychiatrists.

London says they work great for journals, websites, ads,
newsletters etc. "Remember, newspaper editors have known for years that cartoons build loyalty. Why else would they devote an entire ad-free non revenue producing page every day? They know why and so should other publishers.

London has also launched his own subscription-based
ecard site "for the high IQ right-brainers" who he says
"simply aren't fascinated with the flash and fast one
liners. Yes, it is a bit erudite but well worth it and
has a 30 day free trial and after that only 8.50 a year,
half of our competitors. http://www.londonstimes.us/ecards/ecards.html

London is a return-to-college adult at 52 living in
the Ouchata mountains of Arkansas and is learning
business. He says most of his focus is on e-business
which fascinates him the most.

He also just created a website with a ticker tape rss
feed which feeds news from major media outlets and
blog feeds from his own site, all worldwide to anyone
who has the ticker tape. It's all free, the membership,
the blog, etc; it even has a chat room and ezine.
In addition Adsense pays bloggers to blog. It can
be found at www.theaffiliatetoolbar.com or
www.seostreetsmarts.com. (The London Group) It also works as a network
solution for affiliate managers and candidates and
to learn SEO from experts often invited in to chat.

"It has been an amazing ride this ten years," says
London. "Everyone told me not to try this because
I would fail. If this is failing, I prefer it to
succeeding...but to be humble, I would be lying to
not admit I had many more failures along the way than
successes. I guess that is how we learn this, and I'm
certain I'll have many more.

Rick London
CEO The London Group
www.londonstimes.us
www.londonstimessuperstore.com
www.ricklondonwear.com
www.seostreetsmarts.com