Google's #1 Ranked Londons Times Cartoons Adds 2000 New Gifts/Collectibles

Rick London, founder of the #1 offbeat cartoon on the Internet, Londons Times, the addition to over 2000 new Londons Times Cartoons funny gifts and collectibles to his Rick London Gifts & Collectibles online shop.











When asked why he would increase the merchandise inventory in the summer (off-season) months he replied "Just felt like the right thing to do", but added "Only kidding. A lot of our clients/friends enjoy buying off-season since the prices are lower; and since a majority of our merchandise are 'year round" items, like t-shirts, mouse pads, greeting cards, and such, the time of year to add products is not usually an issue.

London started his cartoon in a vacated warehouse in rural Ms. with no knowledge of the Internet, $300, a phone line with dial up internet, a book called "Internet For Dummies" and a rescue mutt, his favorite dog (he'd owned dogs and cats all his life) name "Thor" who he says he named "Administrative Assistant", but adds, "In retrospect, I now I know I worked for Thor. He was a much smarter boss.

London is also a freelance writer and enjoys the status of "Expert Author" at Ezinearticles.com and is a regular contributor to the Herald de Paris. His fiance, Lee Hiller, of Oregon, is the Love Advice columnist for the Herald.

A percentage of all Londons Times merchandise sales benefits animal, children and environmental causes.

A New Philosophy Of Cartooning by Rick London

I entered the business of cartooning in March of 1997 having no idea what was to come. Before I embarked upon this "mysterious venture", I decided it would be to my advantage to consult with top cartoonists around the country. I was surprised how many of them were "open and available" to speak with me were. Fortunately, I was both too young and naive to know NOT to bother "the masters". So when Charles Schulz picked up his phone, I started asking the five journalistic W's (Who, what, when, why, and where). His (and others) advice turned out to be just what the doctor ordered. I was starting to "develop a philosophy" of cartooning even though I had not even yet begun my amazing adventure into online cartoon merchandising.



Why did Schulz become a cartoonist? Like me, he'd tried just about everything else and didn't do it very well. I asked him if there was any money to be made in such a venture. I could almost "see" his smile on the other side of the line. He assured me there was plenty, but not to expect it in newspapers. He told me that even if you do get syndicated, the money is still just pennies per newspaper and that the smart way to approach it, that is, to look at it as a career, is licensed merchandise, such as tees, caps, mugs, etc. He told me he made millions more in licensing than in publishing.

I told him I did not draw very well (which is true) and, that I wanted to try something very new and different. It was to be a color cartoon in which the artwork, for the most part was more "fine art" than cartoon art, and that I wanted a "different look and feel to each cartoon, but a theme, focused on wordplay and picture-play in which, at times, the viewer might have to take a second or two to "get it".

Schulz assured me that nearly 20% of all cartoons we see in the newspapers are "team efforts" that is, an artist and writer, and that if I did not feel my own artwork was "up to snuff", to recruit an artist to draw my concepts. He also encouraged me to read as much as I could about Walt Disney because what I was about to attempt was actually a "Disney model without animation"; he actually called it "Disney meets Gary Larson", which was a bit flattering to say the least.

I also spoke with several other cartoonists, most of whom created in the same genre as Gary Larson's Far Side, such as Leigh Rubin (Rubes), Dave Coverly (Speed Bump), and Jon McPherson (Close To Home). I was amazed, again, at how open and available they made themselves. In fact Leigh and I became good friends and talked regularly on the phone. He was already one of the world's leading cartoonists, and I was just starting. That didn't matter to him. I will never forget that kind of generosity and his willingness to lead me in a direction that made it work for me. And of course the same is true for Charles "Sparky" Schulz (Sparky by the way was what he liked to be called. That was the name of his favorite dog, a Schnauzer; and I knew I liked him right away. I have a tendency to "hang with" fellow animal lovers, and Schulz also had an uncanny biting wit, often held back in "Peanuts", even though it was always funny, was meant for family audiences, his target. In real life, he displayed a sense humor that reminded me a great deal of some of my British favorites such as John Cleese of Monty Python.

There seemed to be a common thread regarding "the philosophy of cartooning, amongst all of the masters. That is, "Sure, you must make a living in this world, but keep the day job. Cartooning is a labor of love, and, only 1% or so actually end up doing it for a living. One must approach it with a very open mind and a love for making people laugh, and to be flexible, as the Internet at the time, was changing the whole nature of the "cartoon business".

All of this advice turned out to be pragmatic. The Internet changed everything. Licensed merchandise became even more of "the key" to making it work than Sparky Schulz had felt; and he had seen it coming. Today, though my cartoons appear in publications worldwide; mostly trade magazines, college textbooks and on websites, the majority of my take is from the sales of funny gifts and collectibles. When I look back over the past twelve years it has all becomes a blur. I have had the opportunity to work with some of the finest illustrators in the world, who could comprehend and render my concepts and writings, Thinking back to the words of the cartoon masters it is still a labor of love.

Although I am one of the few lucky ones who has been able to eek out a living via cartoons, even if I didn't I would probably still be doing it, or something creative, merely because I don't care for water fountain gossip and power-ties that choke my neck while doing work I despise (or simply can't do very well). In the end, if someone is entertained, or feels better because of something I have created, or a job or jobs are created because I thought of a cartoon and it was created, I go to bed thinking, "No, I didn't save the world (as I felt surely I would in the '60's), but I hopefully, when I leave it, it will be a little bit nicer place to live.



Rick London is a writer, cartoonist and designer. He is the founder of Google's #1 ranked offbeat cartoon Londons Times, founder of the Shoes That Amuse the world's only woman's shoes featuring famous philosophers and their love quotes, and is designer of Mariel Hemingway Licensed & Co-Founder of SEO firm PenAndInkInc.

Why Not To Term The Term Addict Lightly (Even "I'm A Twitter Addict".

I AM NOT A “TWITTER ADDICT” (AND NEITHER ARE YOU)

c2009 By Rick London



I grew up what one might call fortunate. I had all “the opportunities” in that I came from a successful and well-known family. Two of my family members were two of the most well-known worldwide in their trade, one a poetess, and one a U.S. Supreme Court Judge. Being “successful” is such a misnomer in our culture. As Leo Tolstoy pointed out in his opening of Anna Karenina, “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way”. . Success is not “just more money”; in fact money often has very little to do with it. It is about happiness combined with a healthy lifestyle, loving family and friends.

The western world is still learning that depression, addiction, and other emotional disorders exist and pays no mind to social status. My own family had its share of alcoholism, addiction, suicides
and much trauma. I am not sure why, I survived, but I did, after many years of “acting out”. I returned to college at age forty-four. I learned new skills and a trade. I learned to love stability, nature, know how precious family, friends and other loved ones are, the necessity of communing with nature and animals, and taking care of my body/mind/and soul.

There is still way too much stigma attached to addiction, depression, and other real medical ailments, in which the one afflicted cannot help it any more than one suffering with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, or multiple (you name the disease).

These other diseases do not have stigmas. In fact the only two disease of which I am aware in which the person suffering from the disease is “identified with the disease”. For example, if a person walking down the street with congestive heart failure is seen, nobody says “There goes a heart diseased person”, if someone with cancer is observed, nobody says “There goes a cancerous person.

But if someone has an addiction, you can almost be sure, they will be described as “their disease”. “He/she is an addict” or “He she is an alcoholic”. Same is true with depression. “There goes Bill, he's
depressed you know” (as if that is the only asset Bill has...depression).

How do we stop this stigma. I believe the first step, has more to do with society (NOT afflicted with these diseases), than those with it. For instance, as innocent as it might seem (and cute/funny) to say “He/she is addicted to Twitter” or “He she is an Internet addict”; it lessens the severity of the scope of the disease. It may seem harmless, but it is not. Do I sit in judgment? Of course not. I used to say the same thing, until it came to my attention, I was furthering the stigma, therefore making it harder for struggling people to find real medical treatment.

I have worked in writing, media, and the entertainment business for almost three decades. The media has covered it so thoroughly, and how epidemic these disease are in it, that it would be redundant to
go into here with a sermon.

So who can facilitate change? I believe the media can. Major network media. They need to understand that “it's just not funny” to compare constructive, productive social networking such as Twitter or Facebook (or whatever) with a fatal disease such as an addiction. The “leader sets the tone” and in our country, the leaders, are often in the media.

I hope that one day, a brave, insightful “major media player” will read this article and help facilitate that it is “as uncool to correlate lethal diseases, and pin tags of modern day society at work, when, all it does is further the stigma, hence the depression, and finally death of the person suffering.

Please think about it. I am not for censorship, and anyone has the right to “make light of addiction, etc with the gratuitous “I'm a Twitter Addict”, but if you can see the harm it does, perhaps you'll think twice. There are millions of sufferers in our country, who need and want help, but won't get it, simply
because of “the jokes”, though done in fun. I know nobody means harm. But it is time to be conscious of this very serious stigma that we are prolonging, and deterring sufferers from receiving help.

Thank you for allowing me to share my views.

Londons Times Cartoons Offering $500 Gift Certificate To Lucky Twitter

TOP GOOGLE OFFBEAT CARTOONIST/& OFFBEAT GIFT SHOP OWNER GIVING $500 GIFT CERTIFICATES TO LUCKY TWITTER


Dateline: Hot Springs, Ar. March 11, 2009: Cartoonist E-entreneur Rick London

announced today his firm, Rick London Group, LLC., is offering a $500 gift

certificate to his award-wining top-ranked offbeat cartoon funny gift stores, if Twitters

will put him at the top of Twitter. Making it “to the top” simply

means having the most followers. (His user name is “ricklondon”) on Twitter.

London's six award-winning Internet stores feature over 165,000 gift items

such as coffee mugs, T-shirts, gourmet coffee gift baskets (his own line of

farm-fresh coffee beans with cartoon mugs and coasters, teddy bears, maternity

wear, magnets, buttons, jogging suits, caps, aprons, hoodies, shoes, wall and

desk clocks, and much more more.

London is also the designer of (Shoes That Amuse) women's casual sneakers with

famous love quotations and graphics of the famous person who penned them,

featured recently in USA Today and AP Wire which will also be included in the

contest.

London adds, “But not to worry, even if I don't make it to the top, (Obama is

there now), I am giving a $100 certificate for the most 'retweets'. So I really

don't have to be at the top for other Twitters to win. Simply following me and

retweeting, and one can still win a $100 gift certificate,

easily, without even a drawing. We simply count the retweets of each Twitter

member at the end of the contest.

A re-tweet is when another blogger at Twitter copies and pastes your tweet with an

“RT” in front of it which stands for “retweet”, giving the original blogger credit

for the post, and, sharing it with , often a whole separate network of followers.

London will allow 120 days for the contest to end, and a name to be drawn at

random on his birthday which is July 16th. . London plans to print his page of

followers, cut the names into squares, place them in a box, and draw one.

London adds, “In addition, we plan to issue a press release, if the winner wishes,

including his/her name and web address to the wire services for yet more value to

the prizes. Londons adds, “There also will be a second prize winner, of a $100 gift

certificate.

In addition, a $50 second prize for the second most “retweets”.

The gift certificates will be good at all of London's stores. He founded Londons

Times on March 22, 1997, and it has grown to be one of the most visible sites on the

Internet, and Google's #1 ranked offbeat cartoon and gifts since 2005.

He will also add an extra $25 bonus gift certificate if the winner has visited his

main cartoon site and signs up for his monthly newsletter.

His stores include

Rick London Special Editions Top-selling funny gifts

Rick LondonWear Rare line of funny rock star memorabilia and other novelty gifts

Rick London Collection Huge variety of best-selling funny gift ideas

Londons Times Superstore Londons largest funny gift store and exclusively sells world's only gourmet coffee cartoon gift basket (Londons Own Line).



Rick London Organics (organic cotton tees) bearing his top-selling cartoon images.

Shoes That Amuse (World's Only Famous Love Quotation Shoes) These are not cartoon products but women's casual shoes he designs.

For more information: contact: info@londonstimes.us

For Spreadsheet (Temp Blog)

Londons Times Cartoons Gets Ok From Keds For Offbeat Cartoons

Londons Times Cartoons Becomes First Single-Panel Offbeat Cartoon On Shoes

Cartoonist/writer Rick London announced today that Keds has given the green light to at least 15 of his offbeat cartoons that now appear on a line of U.S. Keds for women on both slip-ons and lace-ups.

This development comes on the 11th year anniversary of Londons Times Cartoons. Rick London founded the cartoon in an abandoned Mississippi metal warehouse on a used pc in very bad shape, a few dollars, and a phone line.

That was in 1997. Today it is the most visible cartoon on the Internet with over 8000 images, luring over 3 million annual visitors and has ranked the #1 offbeat cartoon on Google since 2005.

These funky shoes can be seen at Rick London Funny Gifts.

Londons Times Cartoons Now On Woman's U.S. Keds

Londons Times Cartoons Becomes First Single-Panel Offbeat Cartoon On Shoes

Cartoonist/writer Rick London announced today that Keds has given the green light to at least 15 of his offbeat cartoons that now appear on a line of U.S. Keds for women on both slip-on and lace-ups.

This development comes on the 11th year anniversary of Londons Times Cartoons. Rick London founded the cartoon in an abandoned Mississippi metal warehouse on a used pc in very bad shape, a few dollars, and a phone line.

That was in 1997. Today it is the most visible cartoon on the Internet with over 8000 images, luring over 3 million annual visitors and has ranked the #1 offbeat cartoon on Google since
2005.

The offbeat cartoon Keds can be seen at Funny Shoes

Google's #1 Ranked Offbeat Cartoon, Londons Times Celebrates 11 Years In March

Cartoonist and founder of Londons Times Cartoons, Rick London, says "Beware of my idle cartoons of March, but I hope not very idle".

London's story is legendary within the cartoon world. He began his venture with no art background, no money, no home (he lived in an abandoned warehouse in rural Ms. for a year, had a phone line, a stray mutt, $200 and a beat up clone pc computer. Oh, and a book titled "Internet For Dummies" as he'd not learned the net yet.

Eleven years later Londons Times Cartoons or LT Cartoons is one of the most visible cartoons on the Internet with over 3 million visitors per year and has been the #1 ranked offbeat cartoon on the Internet since 2005 (Google Rankings).

London owns a number of E-stores featuring his cartoon merchandise, funny tees,
funny mouse pads, funny greeting cards, funny clothing, and other cartoon collectibles.


Cartoonist and founder of Londons Times Cartoons, Rick London, says "Beware of my idle cartoons of March, but hopefully not very idle".

London's story is legendary within the cartoon world. He began his venture in March of 1997, with no art background, no money, no home (he lived in an abandoned warehouse in rural Ms. for a year, had a phone line, a stray mutt, $200 and a beat up clone pc computer. Oh, and a book titled "Internet For Dummies" as he'd not learned the net yet.

Eleven years later Londons Times Cartoons or LT Cartoons is one of the most visible cartoons on the Internet with over 3 million visitors per year and has been the #1 ranked offbeat cartoon on the Internet since 2005 (Google Rankings).

London is known to love “all things Irish” so he is glad Londons Times Cartoons falls
within a week of St. Patrick's Day (anniversary is March 22)

Since it's beginnings London has created a number of “world's firsts” such as:

First offbeat cartoon to reach the Alexa top 100,000 most popular websites

First offbeat cartoon to be approved by U.S. Keds as one of their products

First (and only) cartoon of any type to “go green with merchandising”; producing
100% organic cotton tees for men and women at Rick London Organics (Bono
of U2 provides the textiles for all women's tees; American Apparel for men's,)

First offbeat cartoon to stay at Google's #1 ranking for 3 years in a row (Going on Fourth)

First cartoon to create a gourmet coffee gift basket (the mug and coasters feature LT Cartoons)

First and only cartoonist to create custom cartoons for Dr. Vinton Cerf (Father Of The Internet), Barbara Orbison (Widow of Roy Orbison), and Xaviera Hollander (The Happy Hooker) First (and only) offbeat cartoon to receive approval from the U.S. Post Office for real postage; more than 30 images

London owns a number of E-stores featuring his cartoon merchandise, funny tees,
funny mouse pads, funny greeting cards, funny clothing, and other cartoon collectibles.

London adds, “When he started, it was merely a hobby between he (the writer and concept man) and a few artists. We had no idea it would grow like it did and take a life of its own. I still wake up every day thinking it might be a dream and will disappear any day now. But it keeps growing and our merchandise remains popular. I am very grateful, and I thank you, the public for making it what it is. We could not have done anything close to this without your continued support.”

He says when he started, it was merely a hobby between he (the writer and concept man) and a few artists. We had no idea it would grow like it did and take a life of its own. I still wake up every day thinking it might be a dream and will disappear any day now. But it keeps growing and our merchandise remains popular. I am very
grateful, and I thank you, the public for making it what it is. We could not have done anything close to this without your support.

Londons Times Cartoons Has More World's 1sts

Londons Times Cartoons, founded by Rick London in 1997, has several more "world's firsts" and "world only" under it's belt.

A. Londons Times Became the first cartoon for the U.S. Post Office to approve
it on real U.S. funny postage stamps available at the Rick London Funny Gift Store. About 30 different images are in circulation now.

B. Londons Times Cartoons is the first offbeat cartoon to be the #1 ranked on Google 3 years in a row.

C. Londons Times Cartoons is the first cartoon to "go green" with it's merchandising. It has opened an online shop of funny tees of using 100% organic cotton (for men and women)

D. Londons Times is the first cartoon to feature offbeat single panel cartoons
on funky women's shoes>. (or any shoes for that matter) at our Rick London Funny Gift Store.

Rick London founded Londons Times Cartoons in 1997 in an abandoned Ms. warehouse where he lived and worked for a year. He started with only $300, a beat up IBM
clone computer, a phone line, a book called "Internet For Dummies" and his late
stray mutt dog "Thor". (and the clothes on his back). He had lost everything in the
1994 Northridge Earthquake in Ca. London now lives in the Ouachita Mountains of
Arkansas and owns 6 online stores and is a return-to-school nontraditional adult
student at age 54.

Emotions Play A Part In Holiday Gift-Giving

What motivates you to buy. Whether it is a vacation to Fiji, or even Peoria, a brand new Mercedes, or perhaps a used VW Beetle, or a Gucci bag or a nice slightly used but gently worn sweater from the local Goodwill, would you believe emotions play a big part?

Whether it is a consumable for self, or a gift for someone else, I find that a lot of motivations come into play. At age 54, I tend not to buy as much for myself as I did in my younger more “self-absorbed” days, that is, when it was important for people not only to know me, but know what I possessed (as if they cared….they were too busy buying things for self to make sure others knew them and what all they possessed). Ahh yes, the good old days of the upwardly mobile yuppies.



Today, I get a real kick out of buying gifts or cards or both, often for no apparent reason, and give them to those close to me. I won’t just buy any gift, or send any flower to my significant other. Today the gift has to really mean something of significance, though it need not be of a major expense, and sometimes it is. For instance, a very significant (female) other and I like to joke often about Victoria’s Secret merchandise.



It is not that we have any kind of fetish or unnatural desire of their products; we just both find it funny how, at one time, it was such an “underground store”, not too unlike Frederick’s Of Hollywood, which, for whatever reason has decided to keep it’s “underground image”, whereas V.S. (as she and i like to call it), has become as mainstream as mom, apple pie, and sex toy parties.

Since I am a cartoonist and design a great many images onto a variety of products such as funny t-shirts, key chains, aprons, mouse pads, etc. I recently decided to send her a variety of funny gift items with one of my Victoria’s Secret cartoons on them. The total order was less than $100 and it was a boxful. Had I sent this same gift to, say, a close male friend, my brother, my sister, or my Uncle Jack, I do not believe any of them would have appreciated the gift as much, though they may have found it humorous.

So there are a variety of emotions that come into play when buying a gift. Uncle Jack for instance loves fishing, so I find myself picking out some of my cartoon items such as t-shirts or hoodies or mouse pads or whatever with various fish cartoons on them. I can assure you he appreciates them as much as my sweetie appreciates the Victoria’s Secret cartoon gifts, and appreciates it even more that I take the time to remember, he prefers fishing over v.s panties….at least for himself.

Londons Times Becomes Eco-Friendly

Rick London announced today that his popular Londons Times
Cartoons www.londonstimes.us has launched a new totally
organic cotton t-shirt shop at www.zazzle.com/ricklondonorganics.
They offer worldwide shipping within 24 hours of order and
a 100% no-questions-asked 30 day guarantee.

London says "Only a small inventory is up now, but we will be
adding hundreds over the next weeks and thousands over the
course of the year. We will cater to both men and women".

The graphics on the tees are printed with totally nontoxic dyes.

Cartoonist/Former Race Car Driver Names Best Mechanic In Los Angeles

I can remember the first "muscle car" I ever had. It was a Ford Torino with a 390 cubic inch engine. It had headers, was an 8 cylinder, and gas was around seventy eight cents per gallon.

Every Sunday afternoon I would head outside my hometown of Hattiesburg, Ms and race that Torino down the quarter-mile track at Hub City Raceway. I'll never forget their radio ads with the announcer yelling "Sunday, Sunday, Sundayyyyyyyyyyyy!", with each Sunday getting louder and louder.

One of the major topics of conversation was "Who was the best mechanic in town". Since that time, I sold or wrecked and/or rebuilt about seven other race cars, probably my fastest being white Pontiac Tras-Am with a 454 cubic inch engine in it. It was the second year they came out and Pontiac only made them in that color. A Sunday didn't go by that I did not take home a trophy.

Many years have passed since my days of youth, yet I still seek out the best mechanic. I now live in Los Angeles, and I stumbled across him, merely by accident. Not only was he the best but the most honest.

My clutch went out in my newly bought used Saturn that was perfect in every other way (sans the clutch). I had even driven it across the country with no problems.

Then came the breakdown.

It was towed to a man of whom I'd never heard, named Vladimir Morsach, a Russian Immigrant who had learned American, Japanese, and European cars long before he arrived to our shores, and learned them well. He knew exactly what the problem was and quoted me $200 cheaper than the mechanic on the other side of town, in Woodland Hills where the car stood for several hours.

Vlad called the next day and the car was ready.

I went to pick it up. I still had my out of state checks as I'd just moved from Arkansas, and since there had been some unauthorized charges on my Mastercard, I had canceled it and could not use it. He had to take my word that the check was good. He did.

The minute I drove it out of Vlad's lot, I could tell that the clutch was fixed and tight, and in fact, had never been that good, even when I bought it and drove it off the car lot.

So ironically, the best mechanic, at least my choice, in America, is not even a native-born American nor did he see a lot of American cars in his early-learning stage. But don't let that fool you. He fixed it as professionally and courteously as anyone with which you could hope to deal.

In addition, he said, if there was anything else wrong with the car, he would let me know before fixing it. I thought "Uh oh...what is coming next", based on my experience with so many mechanics with which I'd worked in the past. He called me again to let me know it was only the clutch. Now that is honesty, and certainly worth driving a few miles (or in my case having it towed, to get it fixed better, cheaper, and from a very nice person, Vladimir Morsach). Welcome to America, Vlad! We are very glad you are here!

I would later find out through a mutual friend more about Vlad. Now I'm not surprised at all of his unique talents. He is a mechanical engineer, went to the one of the best University's in Russia and had many years of experience working with cars, both European and American. Vlad feels in good terms with languages, he believes he can't learn English and states that he'd better do what he knows best and it is repairing cars, remodeling, etc. (however, we had no problems at all with communications and I speak no Russian) For him, it is NOT just about cars, it is about his passion, but mostly: his honesty and integrity. He guarantees his work for one year and if your car is NOT working properly and has same problem he will repair it for free.

Note: Vlad's shop is at 18440 Vanowen Ave, Reseda, Ca in the Valley. His phone is 818-719-8610. He's great to talk to also. Sounds like I'm gushing, I know, but have never had such a positive experience with an auto mechanic.

Aside from living in his car like every other Los Angeles citizen, Rick London is the founder of the Internet's top offbeat cartoon, Londons Times Cartoons http://www.londonstimes.us. He also owns several gift stores that feature his thousands of cartoons on tshirts, mouse pads, clocks aprons, and all sorts of items at http://www.LTSuperstore.com and http://www.ricklondonwear.com

Lawyers Have To Laugh Too

As a cartoonist, I find myself in the precarious position of writing about law. Though I do take the law seriously, I find humor in it as well. And I believe I have carte blanche to do so.

I come from a family of attorneys. One of my direct maternal ancestors was Supreme Court Judge Benjamin Cardozo. That name might not mean much to many, but it does within the legal community. His word, still, a century or so later, remains the final word on Constitutional Law.

I have dated attorneys. Some are very astute, and some not so good. I have watched them in the courtroom. Sometimes it is dramatic, sometimes a bit drab. But I continue to have an affinity for the law, given that it is in my blood, I guess. Of course my mother insisted upon either law or medical school for me, so like the good rebellious baby-boomer of the 60's, I became a cartoonist. At least I could make people laugh purposely. People laugh at lawyers, and often the attorney in question does not appreciate it. But how can we help it? I know, I know. They are just doing their job, and we laugh at them, until we need them. Then they are our confidants.

To be fair, most lawyers of whom I have met and/or associated, truly take their jobs and cases seriously. Sure, like everyone else in business, money is a motivator, but not always the primary motivator. Many, yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus, (or clause in this case), many have a very altruistic side, and take the law and their clients very seriously and want to help.

As the old joke goes, "It is the 98% of dishonest lawyers who give the other 2% a bad name". It's a great joke, but really far from reality. Many lawyers are just doing their job, just like you and me.

Sometimes hiring a lawyer can be expensive, and several Internet-savvy lawyers have launched websites in which the common layman can read, study, and learn about law and legal forms, and actually pay and download template forms from the sites at a fraction of the cost of hiring a law firm.
Some of these sites include Findlaw.com, Legalzoom.com, and the up-and-coming Lawkipedia.org, which has not yet been launched but is in the plans for this year. It will probably be the most exciting and different of all the other legal websites, just from what I understand regarding the planning.

Still, the saying goes, "The person who represents himself legally has hired a fool for a lawyer. And that is true. Especially regarding courtrooms and criminal law.

But many business conflicts do not have to turn into courtroom law. Mediation has become very popular and there are ways to work out such conflicts, often, and bring the parties even closer, once they realize they have similar goals, simply different ideas as to how to reach those goals. That is okay. It is often done by more professional persons, who is not out to "trash" a partner or remove him/her from the scene. I have seen it work many times.

Because law is of interest to me, I make sure to do a great many law related cartoons, and produce funny lawyer gifts. Even though many of them poke fun at lawyers, I find the majority have a great sense of humor, and more often than not, when the orders come in for our gifts and collectibles featuring lawyer cartoons, the names have a "comma and Esquire" at the end, in other words, our biggest customers who love to make fun of themselves, are, indeed attorneys.

Londons Times Cartoon Pet Related Gifts Benefit Animal Causes

Funny Dog & Cat Cartoon Products Benefit Animal Causes
by Rick London

People are the dichotomy of dichotomies. Admittedly, I am no exception to the rule. We are very different and very alike in so many ways. I can't think of anthing can bring us closer together than a cute puppy or kitty. They seem to have a special spirit in which we all share the same care.

I have been an animal owner since I was a kid. I am now half a century old. My feelings about pets have not changed. Like young children, they teach me about unconditional love, something that is often lost in the hustle and bustle world in which we live. They know instinctively how to ground me.

I am a cartoonist, I have dedicated a great deal of my work to the animal kingdom; particularly dogs and cats. Though there are many topics with which I deal, from science to relationships, my dog, cat, and other animal ones are the ones of which I love the most. It seems our followers feel the same way, at least the majority of them.

I manufacture products such as cartoon t shirts, mouse pads, aprons, hoodies, tote bags, and other casual wear featuring cartoons. Again, my favorite are dog and cat cartoon products.

I put aside a percentage of all sales from those products to benefit various animal causes. At first, I thought it would be a good incentive for other animal lovers to purchase my products so I could help animals at shelters and others in trouble. Though that is happening, I am also receiving orders for pet-related cartoon products from people who have never even owned an animal.

A lot of our clients just find our items to be unique gifts with funny cartoons on them. But I've received emails from a number of clients who simply express that they want to help a good cause. If this does not renew one's faith in the human race, I am not sure what will. Animals have nothing to give back (materially) but unconditional love, one of the most valuable, if not the most valuable experience one can ever feel.

If you've never, I hope one day you will experience the uncondional love of a pet, I suggest to visit your regional animal shelter today. We all have done things in our lives of which we are not proud, possibly regret. I assure you this will not be one of them. It will change your life in such a positive way, words cannot come close to expressing the feeling of adopting a dog or cat that is on its way to be put down.

About the Author:
Cartoonist and animal lover has found a way to embed passion into his cartoon work using his love of animals with a new line of funny dog and cat cartoon clothing at his many of his webstores including:

www.LTsuperstore.com
www.ricklondonwear.com
www.ricklondoncollection.com
www.athonginmyheart.com
www.mirthgirthbirth.com
www.justfunnyhoodies.com
www.justfunnyaprons.com
www.justfunnymugs.com
www.justfunnygreetingcards.com
www.justfunnymousepads.com

London also founded the Internet's top offbeat cartoon, Londons Times Cartoons which has lured nearly 9 million visitors since Jan. 2005. www.londonstimes.us

Dogs Proven To Help Relieve Depression

Though it is not something of which I am particularly proud, I struggled with major depression since age thirteen. It may be even further back than that, that is my first memory of "feeling different". I am now fifty three.

Of course I did not even know it was depression, and even if I had discovered it was, it would have been hidden, as, in the polite society of rural Mississippi, at the time, one did not see a therapist or psychiatrist and remain in society. He or she was hidden in the closet. Today things have changed and there are many modern- day state-of-the-art recovery programs and mental health clinics in the region. Alas, mum is still the word. I now live in southern California, where, at social functions, therapy and recovery are often a common them at social functions and events.

It was not until late in life, when I discovered a stray dog named "Thor" that I learned about alternative therapy. I had often heard that owning an animal can relieve depression and even lower blood pressure, but the dramatic changes were yet to be seen for the first few months of owning Thor. I noticed I wanted to get out more and walk him, as he loved that activity. This in itself lifted my depression. A long walk can, in fact, increase endorphins in the system.

Thor introduced me to people. People will open up to a cute dog faster than they will a human, hence they open up to the human as well. Thor loved people. I had owned dogs in the past, but Thor was my first rescue dog. The jury is out whether he rescued me or I rescued him. I did not adopt him from a shelter, but surely would have had I found him at one. He showed up in the rural Mississippi woods with a pack of two other dogs. He was the sickest of them, obviously abused and/or hit by a vehicle as he limped, and was a matted ball of fur. A vet friend took him home and put him on drips, shaved him, and gave him to me.

I researched and put him on the b.a.r.f diet. (bones and raw food). I put him on the same herbal tinctures I was taking. He never had another vet bill for a decade and lived to be nearly twenty two. He had ten very happy years as did I; mostly depression-free. Both of us were quite depressed when we found each other. He passed away nearly a month ago today. I continue to grieve over Thor but feel soon I will be ready for another rescue dog. I will visit the shelter. It is not completely selfless; I understand fully now the meaning of "they do much more for us than we do for them). A rescued dog remembers. He/she gives unconditional love and we get that gift to pass on to other people. I can't begin to tell you the difference in the way I am treated now by other people, and, the way I treat them. I do my best to do what Thor taught me; that is, love them unconditionally. He saw me as one of God's creatures; to him I was a god, and now I see all living creatures as part of God's creation. I never was that religious and am not now. But how can I not be spiritual. Thor helped cure my incurable depression.

Rick London is an e-entrepreneur and cartoonist. Many of his cartoon products are dog-related and a percentage of each sale goes to benefit various animal causes. He is also the founder of the Internet's top cartoon site, Londons Times Comics.

Rick London is a cartoonist and lover of animals, particularly dogs and cats. He founded the Internet's top cartoon Londons Times Cartoons and a number of E-stores featuring his dog cartoons. A percentage of sales benefit animal causes. Some direct pages of dog-related products can be found at http://www.cafepress.com/9500/4383555 at his Rick London Collection store. Another at RickLondonwear http://www.printfection.com/londonstimestees/DOGS-CARTOON-GIFTS-and-TEES/_s_81517 and his main cartoon site, Londons Times Cartoons http://www.londonstimes.us lures over 4000 vistors per day.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_London

Londons Times Cartoons Updates

Hi All,

Just wanted to say, once again, thanks, for making London Times Cartoons what it is today. We could never have imagined when we started it ten years ago that we would be receiving millions of visitors per year. We greatly appreciate your feedback, let us know what is on your mind, what kind of topics you'd like to see etc.

Many of you may also know, I have left Hot Springs, Ar and moved to Los Angeles, my old home of 14 years ago. The weather is sunny and beautiful, as usual, and I am enjoying getting outside and taking advantage of that.

Please be sure to visit our cartoon gift shops and see all the cartoon gifts such as t-shirts, mouse pads, aprons, hoodies, key chains, coffee mugs, and so much more. I've listed some of our store addresses at the bottom of this note.

Thanks again for all your support and hope you continue to enjoy our free cartoon website, Londons Times Cartoons.

Sincerely,

Rick London
Londons Times Cartoons
www.londonstimes.us

Stores:

www.ricklondoncollection.com
www.ricklondonwear.com
www.athonginmyheart.com
www.justfunnyhoodies.com
www.justfunnyaprons.com
www.ltsuperstore.com

Londons Times Cartoons Gaing Ground Again In Alexa Ratings

Rick London announced today that the reach of Londons Times Cartoons, this quarter, according to Amazon.com's Alexa rankings is up 70% worldwide.

London said, "We are thrilled that after a decade, folks are starting to notice us."

Londons Times Cartoons www.londonstimes.us has had a large North American following since 2005 when it suddenly shot up on the Alexa rankings to 67,000th.

But then it dropped for several years and is suddenly making a big comeback.

London says he attributes the higher rankings to all the new niche cartoon gift stores his group has opened.

They now own 8 different shops that sell merchandise such as funny t-shirts, funny hoodies, funny aprons, and similar novelty gifts.

A few of the stores are www.ricklondonwear.com, www.ricklondoncollection.com and www.LTSuperstore.com.

A Short True Story About Far Side's Gary Larson

I like to pontificate about The Far Side because I can only name a few humorists who had a great impact on my life before I launched Londons Times Cartoons. Only one was a cartoonist. The others were comedians and actors such as Steve Martin, Mike Myers, Steven Wright, Red Skelton, Jack Benny, Jackie Gleason, Lucy, Rowan & Martin, Peter Sellers, and and several dozen others. One other cartoonist was the late great Charles Schulz, and they all influenced me in a different way.

The reason Gary Larson had such an impact is that, like a lot of confused young people in our society at that time, his even greater confusion made sense of it all, and did so with very few words, sometimes no words, but only an illustration. He was a step above so many other cartoonists in that he most often “stuck to what he knew”. He had a major in biology and aside from the frequent use of cows and insects, biology and mad funny looking scientists were often his theme-de-jour.
Before Larson launched The Far Side, he was working on a cartoon called “Nature's Way”. The Seattle Times was the first paper to publish it in 1979. A year later, Chronicle Features picked The Far Side up for syndication and it ran fifteen years. Larson put down his pin on New Years Day, 1995. For awhile we heard nothing. Then he wrote a very biologically-accurate children's story about worms titled “There's A Hair In My Dirt” which quickly became a New York Times Best Seller.
When asked why he was retiring, he said, he simply didn't want to become mediocre. He stopped while he was ahead.
He could be labeled more than a cartoonist, perhaps a “cartoon surrealist” of sorts. A lot of his cartoons featured bovine behavior and conversations that cows had when no people were around. The behavior was often erudite to make the reader understand he or she perhaps might not be so much smarter than these cows (and other animals, from squid to deer to bears. A great many dogs and cats appeared in The Far Side as well, usually as “mortal enemies”. One of the most popular is a dog who has led a trail with chalk that said “Cat Fud” that led to an open dryer in a laundry mat and the dog thinking while holding the door open ready to close it, “Oh Pleeeeeze” as the cat sniffed around.

One popular Far Side panel features two chimpanzees grooming each other. One discovers a blonde human hair on the other and asks "Conducting a little more 'research' with that Jane Goodall tramp?" Her institute board members felt it was in bad taste, and had their lawyers draft a letter to Larson and his distribution syndicate, in which they described the cartoon as an "atrocity". They were stopped in their tracks, though, from no other than Goodall herself, who loved the cartoon. Since then, all profits from sales of a shirt featuring this cartoon benefit the Goodall Institute.
Most recently, Larson has published a 2007 calendar and 100% of the royalties benefit Conservation International.
So Gary Larson not only turned out to be a very talented man, but a man who cares about the world in which he lives, and does something about it in a very unique way. He will always be remembered by his friends, fans, and other cartoonists such as myself.

It Was All Gary Larson's Fault

Published in Ezines Today


The Far Side Of My Cartoon Life
by Rick London

I was a power-type-of-guy in Washington, D.C. in the mid-1980's. I had a cushy job, and wore nice clothes. I resided near the Smithsonian on Capital Hill, a place I rarely frequented unless company was in from out of town.

One day, my friends Julie and Beverly called me and told me to get dressed, that we were going to a Gary Larson Far Side exhibit at the Smithsonian. I didn't want to go.

Don't get me wrong, I loved and still love The Far Side, but at the end of the day I was usually exhausted and the though that went through my head was, "Why wait in a long line for an exhibit, when I can simply open the Washington Post the following day and see the cartoon?"

The girls insisted I go with them. So I did. They picked me up and we were on our way. The lines, though long, moved quickly and the exhibit was beyond my wildest imagination. The panel cartoons had been blown up onto 5 or 6 foot poster boards and were hanging from the ceiling. Many of them were my Far Sides of all time.

I was like a little kid in a candy store running from one cartoon to the next. I had seen almost all of them in the Washington Post. Suddenly I was a kid again and a happy camper.

Then, in the middle of all this fun, my mood started to change. I started getting chills and feeling isolated and terrible. I could not pinpoint what was happening. I continued, I think, to be amused and act happy but all I wanted to do was go home and cry.

It was a long exhibit with hundreds of images but well worth it. Now, back home, I was too sad to eat or watch television. Then I remembered. I had created a similar panel cartoon in the early '70's and stuffed it away in both my psyche and closet. I had done so with so many dreams, I wondered if any of them would ever die. Obviously this one was with me a long time.

Rule number one: Never show your parents any lofty dreams no matter what your age, especially if they are full-blown business professionals. MY mom hated them and insisted my dong my homework first and then deciding. I did my homework but had already decided. I just didn't know how or when, only that it would somebody happen

I remembered sharing them with mom and her negative response, but, I remember thinking, "Even if Mom is not around, I would still be scared to launch such a project for fear that people had thought I lost it". It was then that I realized Gary Larson was not just a cartoonist but a brave pioneer in the world of print journalism.

A decade passed. I created Londons Times Cartoons with one other artist. several top illustrator and I continue writing and assigning the cartoons. to my team illustrators. The site has become the biggest of its kind on the Internet and certainly the most visited (nearly 5 million a year since 2005 when we began counting). Londons Times Carotons was founded in 1997, seven years after that Far Side exhibit.

The motto of this story is "build it and they will come"; though that was not my favorite Kevin Kostner quote of his movie career. But the concept is true. If one focuses hard enough on a project or profession, sooner or later, something will break. The secret is being patient enough to hang in there until it does.

Rick London once considered himself a failure in every apect of his life. Now he owns 8 e-stores and a main cartoon site of offbeat incredibly funny cartoons It's All Gary Larson's Fault

www.mirthgirtbirth.com
www.justfunnymousepads.com
www.justfunnyaprons.com
www.justfunnyhoodies.com
www.ricklondonwear.com
www.ricklondoncollection.com
www.LTSuperstore.com
www.londonstimes.us

Pink Flamigo Gifts And Collectibles Are Hot

The incredible collectible pink flamingo is one of those type things that are either totally loved or completely ignored. Depends on human taste and objectivity. As many consider it art as others consider it junk.

The evolution of this as a decorative object dates back to the 1940's a company called Union Products in a small Ma. Town called Leminster. They produced bit plastic animals for the front yard, but had not yet thought of the pink flamingo. Even those animals were, indeed, so tacky, they were huge sellers. A good analogy was like having the ugliest dog, so ugly it's cute. People had to have them. They were all two dimensional like a cut-out board reindeer Christmas decoration is.

About a decade later, a serious art student who worked at Union named Don Featherstone was Although Don was a serious sculptor and classical art student, his first project was to redesign their popular duck and this time make it 3-dimensional The company figured it would be a bigger seller. The company was wrong and the 3d duck ended up in the local park. He had used a live duck as a model but still no real success.

He then figured people wanted color and something exotic. They came to mind but he could not find a live one for a model so he turned to National Geographic. Smart move. They had plenty of photos. Using clay, he built his prototype. then used to make a plaster cast. The plaster cast, in turn, was used to form the molds for the plastic. The original design called for detailed wooden legs, but they proved to be too costly and were replaced by the metal ones still seen today. While the exact date was never recorded, the first pink flamingo was created several years before 1960.

The late 1950's just happened to be perfect timing for the flamingo. The American population was moving out of the city and behind white picket fence lawns, a perfect resting place for the big pink bird.

The late 1950's fashion trends were bright, bold colors. Grays and blacks had been here forever and people were ready for a change. The plastic industry was thriving and now allowed for hot colors like bright green, vivid ruby, and, of course, hot flamingo pink. Pink refrigerators, washing machines, and of course who didn't want a pink Caddie?

The love of the pink flamingo was short-lived due to timing. The 1960's was a time of rebellion, especially against anything man-made, and the plastic flamingo was certainly not heaven-sent (though many serious collectors still consider it so). All the major department stores, (Sears being the biggest back then as this was way pre-Walmart) removed the items from lack of sales. Collectors went underground to flea markets and niche gift shops as they still do.

Many collectors are still very serious about them and go so far as to travel with them. We all know that what is art to one person is garbage to the next. Bans have been placed on pink flamingos all over the country. As a result, Union Plastics was forced to introduce a blue flamingo to work inside the laws of city ordinances. But for every action to a reaction there is another action, eh? These towns then changed the laws to ban all plastic flamingos. Many refused to obey the ordinances and the laws have rarely been enforced in most of the communities.

Until this day, pink flamingo items are still some of the most sought after in the country, and the Internet is where the majority of the shopping is done, saving collectors large amounts of money from having to travel to find their beloved bird. Now they are available on everything from coffee mugs to boxer shorts to beer steins to clocks, all valuable and desirable collectibles (for those who love them that is).
Rick London is a cartoonist and E-Store owner who founded the largest offbeat panel cartoon on the Internet, Londons Times Cartoons. He has a number of estores, many of which specialize in animal cartoon products including the pink flamingo. Two of them are http://www.ricklondonwear.com and http://www.ricklondoncollection.com - (Simply click on "Birds" to find the Pink Flamingo collectibles. He only sells factory-sealed new in the box merchandise (though he says it originated from thinking "outside the box".

www.ricklondoncollection.com
www.ricklondonwear.com
www.LTSuperstore.com
www.londonstimes.us