This editorial cartoon was inspired by recent articles that infrequent sex or exercise can lead to an increased risk of heart attacks.  If you aren’t getting enough and decide to engage in those activities, it could induce a heart attack.

Can you imagine the out of shape guys using this as their new pick up line.  “C’mon baby, you don’t want me to die do you??”

Reminds me of a guy who would ask every woman in the bar if he could get her number whether or not he had a chance with any of them.  When asked why, he said it was law of averages.  1 in 100 would say yes.  I think that guy ended up being pretty good at sales.

Up until this past weekend, some conservatives have been upset that the United States hasn’t been more proactive militarily with the issues in Libya.   While I abhor the things Ghadafi is doing to his people, why does the responsibility to be the world police always rest on the United States.

Whenever there is military action needed around the world, the United States is always seen as the big bad aggressor in foreign affairs while the UN tends to get bound in ineffective resolutions.  The US is blamed for interfering in affairs of other countries and blamed if they don’t .  As my dad used to say “You are damned if you do and damned if you don’t”.

So for once, the U.S. has decided to take a back seat to the United Nations, fully supporting the efforts but not taking the lead.  I, for one, support that tact.  They have commited fully to the military operation of a no fly zone while allowing Britain and France to take the lead on the resolution.

Now I am sure I will get an earful from my Australian friends but let’s contrast this with the Australian foreign minister, Kevin Rudd.  Like some American Conservatives, Rudd was blaming the G8 nations for inaction yet after the UN Resolution said that there would be no Australian military assistance (though he did pledge humanitarian aid).

The world doesn’t need any more armchair quarterbacks.  (Ok except for me)

First of all, let me give credit to all you who do recurring characters and multipanels.  This took much longer to do than I anticipated.

Has anyone else had this conversation with a sales person?  I know everytime I have asked the same question, this is the response I get.  My signature has worn off my credit card due to overuse so I am asked for a photo ID frequently.

Their response to why they need it never made sense to me as the last panel illustrates.  And guess what, they are wrong.

According to several sources (see Kiplingers, Consumerist), the reason they ask for a photo ID is because your credit card is not valid unless it is signed.  So the merchant is supposed to compare the signature on your license with the signature on their copy of the receipt.  HOWEVER, they never do that.  They always compare the name (not the signature) on the credit card with the name on the Photo ID. 

Personally I would be happy if all merchants required photo id and matched the credit card against the ID.  However, funny enough Visa and Mastercard discourage merchants from doing so by saying a Photo ID is not a requirement for purchase as long as the card was signed.

Sadly, with online purchasing, self-service checkout and even digital signature pads (does anyone’s signature look remotely like their real one on those things), the chances for someone illegally using your credit card is rising.  The good news is you are typically only on the hook for at most $50 assuming you report the fraudulent charges in a timely manner.

Thoughts?

I know I don’t post editorial cartoons typically on Friday but this was so timely (thanks Mike) that I couldn’t pass it up before it became old news or someone else shamelessly stole my idea.

So it seem President Obama has been getting some slack for passing off his press briefings to the Clintons.  Last week it was Bill when discussing the reasons he negotiated the tax cut deal with the Republicans.  And this week he passed off questions on Afghanistan to Hillary.

I’m all for delegation but he seems to be running out of Clinton options.

I rarely have a cartoon on the back burner but this one I originally drew two weeks ago when a poll was released that now 18% of Americans believe that President Barack Obama is Muslim versus his self-professed Christianity. 

The absurdity of this pushed me to draw the above as it is like saying anyone that is circumcised is Jewish. 

(My wife got the joke immediately but then wondered if some might take offense as if I was implying that Jewish men may not be endowed.  I told her I hadn’t heard that stereotype and besides aren’t there many Jewish men in porn including  including Seymour Butts and Ron Jeremy?)

Today’s editorial cartoon was inspired by national radio host, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, who announced on Larry King last week that she was going to quit her show at the end of her contract (in four months) because she felt her free speech was being limited.  Seems few would accept her apology on the air for not only dropping the n-bomb multiple times during a call but actually told a black female caller that maybe she shouldn’t have married outside her race if she was “hypersensitive about color and don’t have a sense of humor.”

Now one thing I agree with Dr. Laura in her announcement to Larry King was when she used the phrase, “Debate don’t Eradicate” when it comes to speech you don’t believe in.  I think people tend to focus too much on what everyone else is doing and not enough on dealing with their own racist beliefs.  So if I can call you out as a racist before you can do it to me, I win because no one wants to defend themselves after being called a racist.

HOWEVER,

A.  Read the transcript of the call.  Not once did the caller ever get to finish any point because Dr. L constantly cut her off and didn’t listen to her entire example or point.  I get that radio hosts have to move things quickly but don’t complain about having your speech limited when you are in the power position.

B.  READ the TRANSCRIPT.  The arrogance that some people have that they assume with the power the hold.  Oh my.

C.  She was planning on not extending her contract prior to this incident.  So this just looks like grandstanding to me.

D.  She mentioned to Larry that even without radio she still has her website, podcasts, YouTube, books (and not mentioned were her speaking engagements) so is her speech really being limited?

E. Just because you have a 1st Amendment right to Free Speech in the United States, do NOT mean I can’t have an opposing opinion.  Yet people only think Free Speech applies to themselves and not the other guy.

It has come to my attention that a definition of “Bearman” is in order

1. Bearman – The name acquired by the owner of this website as a young man among his friends.  It could be his propensity to hibernate like a bear or grow a full beard mere minutes after shaving (see Fred Flinstone or Homer Simpson).

2. Bearman – A term used to describe a walking, talking animal (See Yogi Bear, Smokey the Bear or Bear Bryant)

3. Bearman – (or Bear) A term used to describe a member of a subgroup of gay culture.  Bears (according to wikipedia) “tend to have hairy bodies and facial hair; some are heavy-set; some project an image of working-class masculinity in their grooming and appearance, though none of these are requirements or unique indicators.

Now of course I was always familiar with the first two definitions.  And of course, thanks to my crash course in everything gay culture provided by one Kathy Griffin (don’t call her Griffith or she will beat you down), I was also aware of the third. (Yes Kathy I was the one hetero male at your Cincinnati appearance.)

Anyway, I knew that there would be some confusion with folks looking for cartoons of either definition 2 or 3.  I was just waiting for the day.  Well it finally came in a nice email from a guy named Bob.  Bob said “just a quick question – do you in any way relate with Bear culture, as in the gay sub-culture? I didn’t find any cartoons relating to it, so I’m guessing no, but I thought I would ask.”

In assuring Bob that while supportive of gay rights, I did indeed play for the other team.  (wait…unless you think the other team is his team.  I mean the other team from his perspective).  Bob runs a site called PlanetBears and wondered if I would be offended if he posted about our email interaction.  That post is here (WARNING:  If you are offended by half naked big hairy men or are at work, DO NOT click the link).  Thanks to the tens of people who came here from there.

 I jokingly said I would do this cartoon and Bob was all for it.  So there you have it.

Oh and to the hotel where I am posting this thing.  Please know that all the sites that I am looking at were merely for research.

I am still waiting for the email from the Furries .

Outside of the United States you may not have heard about two of the most colorful players in American Football – Terrell Owens and Chad (Johnson) Ocho Cinco.  But since they both have reality series on VH1, they are more popular than just their speed on the gridiron.

The Cincinnati Bengals have just signed Terrell to a contract bringing him on the same team as his longtime friend Chad.  Terrell is also known by his initials – “T.O”.  Let the Bengals Bromance begin!!

BTW, anyone actually own one of those two piece friend/love necklaces?

I alluded to the Twitter #tuesdaysketch in my last post.  This was one I did a few months ago.  The subject was simply “frogs”

I’M BACK!!!  After a much deserved break, I am making my triumphant return today.  Thanks again to all my guest cartoonists and commenters who kept things going in my absence.