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Offbeat Cartoonist's Life Saved Two Times By Smart Dogs The year was 1994 and I was still relatively new to southern California. I had sold my successful bus tour business in Washington D.C and moved to Los Angeles to try my hand at screen-writing. Not much was shaking for me for the first few years. Except the ground. I settled in Sherman Oaks in the San Fernando Valley area. I can clearly remember being awakened about five a.m by my golden retriever puppy Otis who was barking wildly. Otis slept on the bed with me but he had hopped down onto the floor to begin his ranting. This was no ordinary bark but I took him outside anyway into the back yard which met an alley. Otis kept barking and was clearly agitated but did not relieve himself. I rubbed my eyes and looked around and there was dozens (if not more) cats walking around in circles in the alley. I had never seen this before. They were clearly not acting the way I normally see cats behave, but it was as if they were trying to escape something. Otis' barks continued loudly. Boost Your Immune System Naturally With Cartoon Laughter You might think about calling a good doctor to put me away if I told you that a good cartoon might save your life, or at least increase the quality of your life. Ironically it is good doctors who agree with this theory. Can A Mouse Pad Offer Zen? Call me crazy, but anyone who has studied eastern thought, understands there is a "zen" to everything. What affects us we affect and vice versa. Everything as an energy. Unique Discoveries I Found After Becoming Disabled It seemed like only yesterday that I was living in Washington, D.C., working in corporate America, waking up at 6 am, rushing with my coffee while I brushed my teeth and put on my pinstripe suit and yellow power tie, and drove to work, arriving before rush hour. Only to be stressed out the rest of the day and night. The Zen Of Running Long And Eating Right I decided to put all my energies into being "a hippie" rather than athlete while growing up. So when I reached adulthood, I discovered the gym and running to make up for it. Then I went to the extreme and ran several marathons. I thought I was "really something special". The Zen Of The Online Shopping "Hunt" I remember in my youth when my mom would take me shopping. I had the most fun in the grocery store, for whatever reason, but, as I matured into my teens, fashion and grooming stores became more interesting. Like a lot of teenage boys, upon new information, girls were suddenly a lot more interesting. And to our (boys) surprise, we were becoming interesting to them as well, though, they were better at hiding it. A new thing was happening to us...relationships. They were so much fun back then. Life was simpler. No bills to pay. Never an argument about finances. Ahhh. The good old days. the zen of cartoon humor Humans are visual animals. We react to what we see. And to a lesser degree, we are auditory. Sounds can cause a reaction. the zen of humor and cartooning Since we were babies, we loved to watch things. We were visual and continue to be. We react to what we see. And to a lesser degree, we are auditory. Sounds can cause a reaction as well as sight. Cartoonists are aware of this and have to work harder than an actor or comedian to get your attention. How To Find An Honest Mechanic In Los Angeles I was waxing nostalgic about the good old days recently and was thinking about my teen years. I spent much more time thinking about, and racing cars, than school. My first muscle car was a dark blue Ford Torino 390 cubes with four on the floor. Man did I think I was hot. I could fill my tank for about $10. Why Laughing At Lawyers Is Fun...until We Need One If you find it strange that a cartoonist would be writing a semi-serious article about law and lawyers, please allow me to explain, or lead the witness if I may. In some ways, I have carte blanche to do so. Cow Collectibles: Why Are So Many Into It? The dog has traditionally been "man's best friend" but one must admit, the cow is the most fun, not to mention the most edible. And as a cow item collector, I feel the cow is possibly the funniest animal on the planet. Though this may be hard for some city-dwellers to fathom, I can assure you Mississippians and other inhabitants of the southeastern states were laughing at cows years before The Far Side. Aardvarks, Dentists, And Cartoons Rick London's cartoon site is an animal-lovers delight. It is chock full of animal images, but none is more popular and funny than the aardvark. Aardvark Dentistry is the name of one of their most classic favorites and the cartoonist has decided to do a little research on the aardvark. This is the fascinating information he found. If you are looking for aardvarks, you need to go south of the Sahara Desert in Africa. "Earth Pig" is what the Africans call them, and, in fact, the name ardvark means "earth pig". So, makes sense to me. Their body somewhat resembles a pig which probably has a lot to do with that. But why they call them earth pigs, since regular pigs do not fly (to my knowledge) is beyond me. Their tails resemble a kangaroo's and ears like a rabbit. Aardvarks are nocturnal. Suffer From Depression? A Dog May Save Your Life 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. How Stray Dogs And Cats Help Us With humans, unconditional love seems to need to be earned, and that in itself is a dichotomy; it is conditional if it has to be earned. Why is it so hard for humans to purvey real love these days without strings attached. Maybe we've had the wrong teachers. They are out there. A lot of them. One just need find them. When Realtors Become Cartoonists Ms. London," I used to joke that the OB/GYN told my mom, "It's a Realtor". His nurse was holding me in her arms as my mom tried to smile. I was not a pretty baby. Really! My parents owned a very old real estate stable family real estate company and were from a generation where, if and when an offspring arrived, especially a male, they were born to be bred.that is, bred into the family business, not the prodigal offspring to which I eventually evolved. My Parents Wanted A Realtor So I Became A Cartoonist The maternity nurse's aid held me in front of my mom in the hospital bed. I'd just entered this world not more than a few hours earlier. It was 1954. "Congratulations, Ms. London," I used to joke that the OB/GYN told my mom, "It's a Realtor". My parents owned a very old real estate stable family real estate company and were from a generation where, if and when an offspring arrived, especially a male, they were born to be bred.that is, bred into the family business, or made to be the prodigal son who as wrong even when he was right. Until this day, at age 53, I still get the feeling I do nothing right. And I may be right. Buy A Funny T Shirt Help A Dog Or Cat People can be so different (and alike) in so many ways but nothing can bring us closer together than a cute puppy or kitty. They seem to have a special spirit with which be an impetus for helping bring people together. Why Humorous Corporate Gift-giving Works You have been in business for a long time. When it is time to give a corporate gift, you have a stockpile and automatically send it out. How many calendars, day planners, wine gift baskets, have you sent without even thinking of the consequence? Buying Or Selling Unique Products Online: Sound Advice I doubt a day does not go by that I'm not asked, "Rick, why so many products, why so many stores? (We have 9 stores). There are a number of answers to that question, but I will start with the obvious. The Documented Birthplace Of Rock And Roll Though I've been telling people since I can remember that Rock And Roll was born in my own little humble hometown of Hattiesburg, Ms., not many believe me. I know it to be true. Even the honorable Rolling Stone Magazine agrees as mentioned in Wikipedia.... Valentine's Day Can Be A Cure For A Stale Relationship Even the best of lovers and spouses can feel trapped in a stale marriage or relationship as the years pass. Though we still love our mate, we might feel bored with the routine. Don't just rekindle the romance, or fan the flames, add kerosene to the fire of it, and use Valentine's day as a celebration of love, a reason to try something different, and then make it a habit, a new way of life to change the parameters and depth of the relationship. These tips are tried and true and have worked for many couples. Utilizing Educational Cartoons In The School System Today's school-aged kids are a "different breed" than we were. When I say "we", I am speaking of your average Woodstock generation baby boomer kid. We, of course, were certain we were the most worldly and knowledgeable generation in history. Today's kids have taught us differently. Valentine's Day: How To Re-establish A Stale Relationship Even the once-most-bonded of soul-mates can feel trapped in a stale marriage as the years pass. Though we still love our mate, we might feel bored with the routine. Don't just rekindle that burned out match, or fan the flames, add kerosene to the fire of it, and use Valentine's as a celebration of love, a reason to try something different, and then make it a habit, a new way of life to change the parameters and depth of the relationship. These tips are tried and true and have worked for many couples. Why Are Funny Thongs & Boxers Sexier? I was one of those nerdy guys who forgot to change his underwear. No, it's not what you think. I changed them daily, I simply forgot to change styles and brands long after the trends had run out. It was out of habit. Once a plain white stretch brief wearer, always one. Or so I thought. I didn't know I was about to lose my "underwear innocence" at age 50. Self-esteem Can Do Wonders For Your Self-esteem Self-esteem can do wonders for your self-esteem. I know you probably are going to go back and read that first sentence to make sure I worded it properly. The Good Side Of The Far Side's Gary Larson When in the mood, I can talk about my favorite Far Sides all night, Only several humorists influenced me greatly before Londons Times Cartoons became my pet prroject. Others who influenced me a great deal were the original cast members of Saturday Night Live, a former roommie in New York, Patrick Weathers (who also was a featured performer on SNL in the early 1980's) Steven Wright, Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore, Jack Benny, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Lucy, Rowan & Martin, Peter Sellers, and and I'm sure I could name a hundred more if I had time. One other cartoonist was the late great Charles Schulz, and they all influenced me in a different way. How The Internet Leveled The Playing Field For The Disabled The system labeled me disabled in 2001. I was thought to have depression. I did feel depressed, but never felt that was the real problem. I turned out to be right. But it took a long time to prove it, and a very astute medical community. Happiness: As Good As It Gets I received an email from a woman I know last week. She considered me a happy person. It surprised me. I don't consider myself particularly sad or pessimistic, just not what one deems happy. I'm simple. Maybe that is what she meant. She gave me ten seconds to reply. Gary Larson Made Me Do It. I loved my years of living on Capital Hill in Washington, D.C. I was your typical hippie-turned-yuppie. Still thought like a sixties, guy, dressed like an eighties one. I liked my paycheck more than a bag of pot or the Beatles White Album. Raise Your Web Rankings Using No Seo Guru As a cartoonist, I don't get asked too many questions regarding the world of website SEO. As an Internet consultant who studied business at Western Governor's University, I get asked questions daily. And it really is not much of a surprise. A great many web owners do not know SEO. There are others who think they know SEO, and "learned from experts", only to find out within a few weeks or months that their site has been removed from Google for using backdoor or blackhat methods of marketing. The sad thing is that most of them didn't have a clue they were doing it unethically. They simply downloaded an Ebook that they paid way to much money for and followed the instructions. The Zen Of Pregnancy I just launched a maternity and infant wear business with funny clothes as I am also a cartoonist. The manufacturer puts the cartoon images on the clothes. I've loved all the learning. It is one of my many "niche web sites". I enjoy launching them and see which products people like the most. Maternity is definitely in as are matching gifts and kids tees and hoodies. Though I sell more volume in my big non-niche stores, per visitor, the small stores like MirthGirthBirth fare much better. And they are much more fun. Pink Flamingos: The Comeback Kid Of Collectibles Pink Flamingo collectibles are either totally loved or completely ignored. Of course all this depends on taste and subjectivity. Some consider it art as others consider the pink flamingo worthless. The popularity of the pink flamingo as a decorative object dates back to the 1940's a company called Union Products in a small Ma. Town called Leminster. T-shirts: America's Most Popular Gift Shopping for the perfect t-shirt? Maybe it's for you. Perhaps a friend on a special occasion. Don't think tees are a great gift? Think again. 99% of Americans have a favorite tshirt and most American adults have between 16-40 designed ones. Art Licensing: The Real Money In Cartooning In my ten years of cartooning, people often want to talk about the money. They say things like, "You must be rich with all those newspapers you are in." In the first place, I'm not in that many newspapers and not even syndicated. Even if I was in syndication, that is not where the money is in cartooning. Speaking of syndication, the lottery has better odds. Why We Are Supposed To Give Gifts Or Cards On Valentine's Day Would you believe that in ancient Rome, love was a lottery? A cruel one at that. Here's how it worked. A male teen's right to passage to the Roman God Lupercus was through a teenage girl. Each year, all the available teenage girls in the city wwere placed in a box and a male picked a name aat random. She was assigned to him for a year. It would take 8 more centuries before the church fathers put an end to it. They discovered it was a sort of celebration of a relatively unknown bishop named Valentine who had been martyred two centuries prior to the beginning of the Roman tradition. Art Clock Collecting Top Ten Things To Do You have heard the value of collectible clocks and want to start a hobby. Or maybe you are a veteran clock collector. Antiques may be your thing or the latest trend of clocks with imprinted artwork. The more you know, the more you'll save when buying. Here is a list that may help 1. Visit museums and websites that have exhibitions and inventories of clocks. Most museums hand out detailed brochures. Most new clock sellers will be able to explain the history of the artist whose work appears on the clock and where he/she stands in the marketplace. 2. Shop the Internet for clock dealers and collectors. More likely than not, they share your enthusiasm and will be glad to share information. 3.If you are unsure of of the clock's value, look up comparable clocks and what price they have sold for in the past. This will be of great help. Top Ways To Enter The Humor Profession How does one get into comedy or become a cartoonist? Let me count the ways. There are too many to mention and its really one of those trial and error fields. But "funny" is a must. If Bill Gates Sold Maternity And Infant Wear I sell bundled products....I sell a unique humor line of maternity and infant cartoon wear that match; parents can match infant for that perfect Kodak moment. I'm proud of it, and I think I should be. It's different than anything on the market. Top Cartoonist Shares Humor Secrets It still surprises me when people ask me how to become funny? At times I don't know how to take it. I know from my line of work that I am considered funny, but, to be honest, it doesn't feel that much different from when I worked in sales. After all, I majored in business, not humor. Opera Making A Big Comeback With The Vahan Mirakian Foundation I featured opera star Vahan Mirakian recently in an article. I met him last year in Mexico during his deportation battle to re-enter the U.S. I am very pleased to say that he has returned and is doing his good works through his nonprofit foundation, the Vahan Mirakian Foundation. I encourage everyone to visit the site and see some of the videos, hear some outtakes of this man's magic voice at www.vahanmirakian.com. Herbs: If I'd Only Known Then What I Know Now In 1978, I was working as a Realtor in my family's 100 year old business. I "had it all"; of course all but happiness. I believed strongly in holistic medicine, herbs, vitamins, etc. I ran the Lafayette to Crowley, La. 26-mile marathon twice. I owned one of Mississippi's first health and natural food stores. There wasn't an ounce of fat on my body. I could pass for a movie star. A day didn't go by that gorgeous women did not ask me out. I was emotionally, spiritually and physically a mess. Opera Tenor Vahan Mirakian Deportation Case Overturned When I was told by my friend, an immigration attorney, I was going to Mexico to meet a famous European opera star, I expected something very different. The beauty of the small town outside of Tijuana was no surprise, but the sad look on the opera singer's face was. I hadn't a clue as to why someone living in such a paradise, could feel so down. I would later find out. Limu Moui Health Miracle Drink Featured On All Major Networks Most my readers know I am not one to write about health articles though I do have an interest in alternative medicine. In my younger days, having been in the health food business, I realize, in hindsight, a lot of it is hype, in fact most. But I recently had an epiphanany with Limu Moui, or at least the active ingredient fudiocan. The Psychology Of Appropriate Corporate Gift-giving In my humble opinion, a lot of giant retailers of various products do some things very, very right, and others, leave something to be desired. Art Branding & The Internet No More Excuses There was a time before the Internet when trying to brand one's own product or service was virtually impossible unless one was looking at a huge trust fund with his or her name on it. The Internet has turned that upside down and now, with online print-on-demand services, there is no excuse to not have one's own brand. Some Very Interesting Health Facts Regarding Fucoidan & Limu When one thinks of taking a powerhouse drink for their immune system, these days, limu juice wins out over the rest. But which is the right limu juice for the best fucoidan bio-availability. Distributor Sheila Parrish says The Original Limu Company's delicious fruit drink offers 2400% more than its second leading competitor. This is due to a patented process that is over 20 years old. It only makes sense to go with one that stays and works with the immune system. Though Parrish makes no personal claims, she shows the studies summary in this article. The Economic Impact Of T-shirts In America And You Thought T-Shirts Were Not An Important Part Of American History. Are You A Renegade Entrepreneur? There's some old cliche's, "Do what you do best," and "Diamonds are right under your nose," etc. For 35 Years I Was Losing The Battle To Depression. Then Came Vns I remember walking into the counseling center over three decades ago at the University Of Southern Ms. I told them I was feeling "down" a lot and was certain I had depression. So were they. Hence I did. A Strange Fish Tale I am a writer and because I write, I am poor; living down on squid roe. Now that I'm reaching minnowpause, and a good many folks think I'm mentally eel. My theory though is that I've haddock with life, not unlike Salmon Rushdie or Marlin Brando. How To Dress A Baby.....before It Is Born Since all women dressed baggy in the dark ages, maternity wear probably existed before it actually had the label "maternity wear". It was simply known as baggy clothes. Brief History Of The Dogue De Bordeaux (french Mastiff)) There are as many Dogue de Bordeaux origination theories as there are Hollywood star meltdowns. Most of them seem to have credibility and are believable, but they range from the Dogue being first bred from the Bulldog and several other breeds to the Dogue pre-dating their alleged parents to the stories of being born and raised in Tibet to the fact that dog in Rome during Julius Caesar's reign. The most agreed upon origination theory was ancient France, where they lived in Aquitine. The one thing canine historians agree upon is that these ancient Bordeauxs share the same link as all 21st century Molossers. Newspapers Make No Money On The Comics Page. Why Do They Do It? Ever wonder why newspapers devote an entire non-revenue producing page, every day to a "silly group of pictures" called "cartoons"? Good Things To Know About Poodle History When I launched Londons Times Cartoons, at first, most the images were of dogs. Poodles were and are a favorite. I don't know why. I've never owned a poodle but I never knew that much about them. This year, when I launched RickLondonCollection.com, the gift store that sells the cartoon products, emails started coming in from poodle lovers and owners wanting to see more merchandise with poodle cartoons and I gladly obliged. But I still didn't know the history of the poodle. I decided to learn. This is what I found. Not-so-easy Steps Toward Private Branding Long before the Internet Calvin Klein knew it, Ralph Lauren, even Famous Amos knew it, as did so many others. Think of all the brand names you buy. Have you ever wondered how they did it? The One Health Product On Which The Medical Community Agrees As most of my readers and followers are aware, when I am not writing travel articles, I am shamelessly promoting my online stores, cartoons, or writing about dogs, health products, depression, spirituality, et al. I am not a distributor of anything but my own cartoon merchandise and an article here and there. Certainly not network marketing health products, and I've never even seen or read about one that impressed me....until now. Only One Limu Moui Juice Contains Enough Fucoidan My friend Sheila Parrish is a Limu Moui distributor, an allegedly amazing health product according to Fox, NBC, ABC, and CBS news. I was still skeptical. I undestand the difference between hype and research. So I researched. The networks were right on target. Getting In Touch With Your Cartoonist Within "They" say you have to be funny and artistic to be a cartoonist. I beg to differ. An Eastern Philosophy Look At Niche When I was in college (the first time around), I was always told to find a niche and keep it simple. Little did I know at the time, I was learning a sound business principle. After all, there is nothing simple about Ebay, Yahoo, or Google. Is New Age Really So New Age At All Or A Big Moneymaker? I used to debate with my former girlfriend, a woman much more socially and finally successful than me, about the business principals to success. Though she did it, like me, the old fashioned way, made a plan and worked the plan and increased organizational skills along the way, she still believes there is some mystique and "laws of attraction" to it. Of course she is a Beverly Hills attorney, I, a cartoonist and e-tailer. Since the times of EST and other "thought mills", California has been a haven for slick re-packaged ancient scrolls disguised as "NEW"-AGE. She partly buys into it. I don't buy into it at all. Let me rephrase that. I do buy into it. I just happen to know it is nothing new except more slickly packaged and worded more for the proletariat. Can The B.a.r.f. Diet Help Your Dog Live And Be Healthy 30 Years? By now, many of you who have followed my writings know that I am The Dog Man Of Hot Springs (I also love cats), but I tend to adopt stray dogs. I would adopt the cats but most are feral and remain untouchable so I leave food out for them.

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