Tag: cartoon

Super Bowl Ratings Decline

Super Bowl Ratings Decline. That is the headlines I predict on Monday. How many people have gone to a Super Bowl game and when the play stops and the commercials start, everyone is told to quiet down so people can hear the TV. Companies spend millions of dollars both on the ad time and the production of a 30-second Super Bowl spot.

But is paying that much for the airtime that important anymore? Just the mere mention that you are doing a “Big Game” ad can garner tons of eyeballs. Budweiser releassed their tear jerker horses and dogs ad on YouTube and already it has close to 12 Million views

And Snickers released their Brady Bunch ad with Danny Trejo and Steve Buscemi yesterday which already topped 1 million views.

So are you planning on watching? Do you watch for the game or the ads?

January 30, 2015
Sense of Smell as You Age Cartoon

It is a known fact that we can lose our sense of smell as we age. Especially after age 60, the decline can begin in earnest. Sometimes your sense of taste can also diminish greatly along with your sense of smell.

My mother and father in law (neither looking anything like the depiction above) are living proof. From an early age my MIL’s sense of taste and smell were very limited. For her that is a curse and a blessing. For the rest of us, it is simply a curse as she doesn’t know that sometimes she needs to air out the house because of my FIL’s farts.

January 24, 2015
The Real Story Behind “The Interview”

The real story behind “The Interview” will probably never be known. But today’s cartoon tongue in cheek claims maybe it was a mutually beneficial relationship between Seth Rogen and Kim Jong Un all along.

There are so many conspiracy theories behind who really hacked Sony Pictures and what if any blame lays at the hands of North Korea. Some reports say it was North Korea and others claim it wasn’t. Even North Korea got into the conspiracy theory fray by claiming the United States government was actually behind the movie to undermine and embarrass the North Korean Government. Now as history shows, especially during WWII, the US was heavily involved in film propaganda work as the majority of Americans went to the movies for entertainment. But everyone knows our government isn’t funny, so to put this out is probably beyond them. SMIRK (As my friend Jynksie would say)

So with a limited run and “The Interview” being mostly streamed on the net, it make $18million in the first week and is the most talked about movie of the year. Consequently, North Korea is also back in the news.

So conspiracy theory nerds, what say you?

December 31, 2014
Kim Jong Un on Christmas – Retro Cartoon

Kim Jong Un is back in the news again this Christmas so thought it was time to reshare this cartoon I did in 2011 when he took over as Supreme Ruler in North Korea. Seems there is some issues that North Korea has with Sony Pictures “The Interview” starring Seth Rogen and James Franco. The premise being the two stars are hosts of a tabloid show and when invited to do an interview with Kim Jong Un, are recruited by the CIA to turn it into an assassination plot.

In turn, North Korean hackers, hacked Sony leaking private emails and personal employee information along with a slew of other secrets the company would probably have liked the world not to see. And most recently the North Koreans have placed the blame for the production of the movie on the US Government itself, claiming the government helped get the movie produced as a propaganda piece.

Don’t they know our government doesn’t have a sense of humor.

(Surprisingly for always being on top of the North Korean goings on, I haven’t heard anything from the Friggin Loon on this story)

December 22, 2014
This is why you should be careful who you wish a “Merry Christmas”

This is why you should be careful who you wish a “Merry Christmas” Not because they might be offended but because you might learn something about yourself you didn’t know. OK, probably not a reason to stop the practice.

I know there are people who get upset when someone says “Merry Christmas” instead of the broader and more inclusive “Happy Holidays”. I know there are others who get upset when people say “Happy Holidays” thinking we shouldn’t be so damn sensitive.

Here is how I always looked at it. Whether you say “Merry Christmas”, “Happy Hanukkah”, “Happy Kwanzaa”, or “Happy Winter Solstice” to me I don’t care. I am happy to receive your good tidings for the season. But as they cartoon alludes too, I always wonder about the few people who seem to turn on the charm in December and are pricks the rest of the year. It is as if, as an adult, Santa is still watching and they can make up for a year’s worth of crap in one month. Thankfully I have only run into a handful of these people in my lifetime.

Anyone else every have to deal with someone like this?

To all my readers, thank you for another year of support and I hope 2015 brings you nothing but good health and good fortune.

December 16, 2014
Citrus Contraception

UPDATE: Jake Kern on Google Plus provided the winning caption. Thanks to all that participated.

Citrus as Contraception. Yes back centuries ago, women would use citrus rinds as an early form of contraception.

Now I had captioned this with a comment from this middle ages orange peddler but figured I would give you all an opportunity to showcase your creativity. What do you think he should be saying to entice people to buy his oranges given the topic of this cartoon?

December 4, 2014
Movember

Yes dear friends it is Movember, so time to celebrate with a cartoon of bearded fact proportions. For the uniformed, Movember is a play on Mustache and November. Many non folically challenged men grow a mustache to raise awareness about men’s heath issues and more specifically prostate cancer. That or it is an excuse to grow a cheesy 70’s porn mustache while defending yourself from angry wives/girlfriends by claiming it is for a good cause. In my house there is either shaved or beard. No stache, no goatee, no mutton chops allowed or the wife threatens to cut off all her hair.

Which brings us to today’s hairy fact. Peter the Great of Russia was so enamored with Western Culture that he tried all he could to get the backwards countrymen to do as the Europeans do. So in 1698 he passed a law that taxed any man who wanted to keep his facial hair. This fattened the government coffers so Peter could spend more time away from Russia and caused a majority of poor Russian men to shave. Win Win for Peter.

So I imagine like today’s guys on the corner holding up the “honest sign” stating they need “Beer Money”, the men of Old Mother Russia begged for some “Beard Money”

Also credit to the artist who created the tree brushes I used in this post.

November 21, 2014
Moderates in Politics Cartoon

Moderates in Politics. Oh those poor souls. We just finished another round of elections in the United States with the Republicans taking over both the House and Senate majorities. The term you here whenever the minority party becomes the majority after an election is “Mandate.”

Let me be clear. NO NO NO NO!

It is not a mandate when the Congressional Approval rating is at 20%.

It is not a mandate when citizens think things will be just as bad whether Republicans or Democrats control Congress.

It is not a mandate when the feet dragging, lack of compromise and overall government stand still is par for the course no matter which party is in office.

And it certainly isn’t a mandate when in most races you only beat your opponent by 4-6 pecentage points.

And where are the moderates and their voice in both parties? Either they are shouted out as not true to their party (as far right Tea Party candidates do to their more moderate brethren in the Republican party) or they just don’t fight back for the soul of the party and compromise which is what the American people really want. This article from the National Journal really shows the House Divided nature of our Congress.

Somehow we complain but don’t hold the moderates to the fire for not standing up to their beliefs and not pushing for their agenda. As a coalition on both the left and right, moderates would have a large voting bloc that could move legislation or kill it. They need to start working across the aisle instead of appeasing the extremists in the party.

Finally a warning for the Republican led Senate and House. You can take this majority and continue to divide Congress to the point that Democrats dig their heels in like you did as the minority. Thus in two year, when an open Presidential race is on the line, you will lose. Or you can lead by coalition building across the aisle and prove you are the party for 2016 to have not only the House and Senate but also the Presidency.

*** Side note: Sorry if anyone thought I gave up on the site as you couldn’t get to it. Took three days to deal with a hotlinking attack on the site. Hoping things are better. If you see anything wonky going forward please let me know.

November 7, 2014
Save the Hall of Justice

One Cincinnati claim to fame is that Union Terminal is considered the inspiration for the Hall of Justice where the Superfriends managed their operations. Union Terminal was built in 1933 much in the grandeur of Union Station or Grand Central Station as a train depot. As train travel diminished especially after World War II, the site became rarely used. In the 80’s it saw brief life as a shopping mall and most recently it is the permanent home of the Museum Center housing the Cincinnati History Museum and the Museum of Natural History and Science.

Well after years the Terminal is badly needing repairs. Rather than propose a new bond levy on property taxes, the County instead is asking voters (with Issue 8) to consider raising the sales tax by .25% for five years. Unlike the horrible deal voters agreed to with the Bengals and Reds Stadiums whose sales tax never has expired, this tax would only be limited to 5 years and end automatically. A huge selling point IMO and the primary reason I am voting for it.

Now about those Superfriends. Superman was a reporter by day, Wonder Woman held many jobs usually with the government, and Acquaman….well he didn’t have a job as far as I can remember. So none of them had money yet they somehow they could afford a swanky headquarters with all the latest technology. And who probably had to foot the bill? Batman. And he earned his money the old fashioned way: He inherited it. Bunch of slackers.

October 30, 2014
Amazon Employees are Feeling Underpaid and Overtimed

Amazon employees are feeling underpaid and overtimed so much so that a lawsuit against the company is being heard at the Supreme Court. What is happening is that Amazon has a security checkpoint for workers leaving their warehouse that ensures no one is stealing items. However, according to the employees, if you are in the back of the line it can take up to 25 minutes to get through the security checkpoint. The employees claim they should be paid for it. The company claims it isn’t integral to their job so overtime pay is not required based on previous laws on the books.

I see it differently. If you are requiring an hourly employee to stay at work with no control over their leaving, then they should be paid for it. However, there is a limit. If I am an employee who works in a call center and my employer requires me to be logged onto my computer and ready to take calls at my scheduled start time I have no problem with it. Or if I am expected to put on a uniform after arriving to work, I have no problem with that. In both cases I can control how soon or late I show up to work to be on time. When that control is put in the hands of the company I work for and the time becomes egregious, then I have an issue and then it makes the task integral to the job. 5-10 minutes is the maximum any company should keep you from leaving through security checks. To their credit Amazon has said they have increased their security and the flow of egress has improved.

While I think Amazon was in the wrong in this case, I don’t think this should open up the floodgates, as some have predicted, that all non specific work activities should be paid for. Guess it depends on how the Supreme Court rules and writes their decision.

October 17, 2014